SC declines plea by Kerala rape survivor to marry her tormentor

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider a plea for bail to 53-year-old Kerala Catholic priest Robin Vadakkumchery to allow him to marry the girl whom he raped and impregnated when she was a minor.

A bench presided over by Justice Vineet Saran refused to entertain a special leave petition filed by the victim to permit her to marry the convicted priest.

Senior advocate Kiran Suri said the accused should be released to let him marry the victim.

The bench, however, asked him to go to the trial court.

Also Read | Kerala rape victim moves SC seeking permission to marry 'tormentor'

Appearing for the accused, Advocate Amit George submitted that he sought bail so that he would be able to marry the petitioner. He also claimed that it was his fundamental right to marry the victim.

The bench, however, said the High Court has taken into consideration all the aspects of the matter, therefore we don't intend to interfere in the matter.

Vadakkumchery was sentenced to 20 years in jail on February 17, 2019, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. He was dismissed from priesthood by the Vatican.

Earlier, the Kerala High Court had turned down the plea by the convict.

The priest was arrested on February 27, 2017, near Kochi International airport when he was trying to slip out of the country. The case against him was lodged by a child line agency. The girl, who was a student of class XI, gave birth to a child on February 7, 2017, at a hospital run by the management. During the trial, the victim and her mother had turned hostile.