Kochi, India: A Kerala Catholic priest that was sentenced to 20 years in jail in 3 different cases of rape and abuse of a minor is now moving his case to the Kerala High Court seeking to marry the victim.
Not only that, but Robin Vadakkumchery, 52, wanted to take care of the child born to the rape victim.
The victim is also expressing a similar wish.
However, the prosecution expressed doubts over it and said it could be a ploy to get relaxation.
The court is seeking an official police report and posted the case for July 24, 2020.
Vadakkumchery, who has been dismissed from the priesthood by the Vatican, was serving as a parish vicar near Kannur when the incident happened.
He was also the manager of the Church backed school, where the victim was studying.
A child line agency, which works among school children, had registered the complaint against the priest.
The priest came under pressure after the girl gave birth to a child on February 7, 2017.
The priest was arrested on February 27, 2017, from near the Kochi International Airport when he was trying to run away.
On February 17, 2019, he was sentenced to 20 years in jail by a court in Thalasserry.
During the trial, the victim and her mother had turned hostile.
However, the court handed out the verdict on the bases of several pieces of evidence.
4 nuns and another priest and one more woman that were involved in the incident, were charged too.
However, they were let off due to lack of adequate pieces of evidence.
In March, the Manthavady (in Wayanad district) Adioceses officials said the Vatican had dismissed Vadakkumchery from the priesthood.
The decision was made by the pope on December 5, 2019.