Fr Johnson V Mathew

KOTTAYAM: Fr Johnson V Mathew, a priest of Malankara Orthodox church accused in the rape and sexual abuse of a married woman belonging to the fold, was arrested by a crime branch team on Friday. Fr Johnson, a Kozhencherry native and third accused in the case, was arrested from his residence at 2pm. On Thursday, Fr Job Mathew, second accused in the case, had turned himself in to the police in Kollam .

Fr Johnson was questioned for around three hours. The accused was presented before Thiruvalla magistrate and was remanded for 14 days in judicial custody. Fr Johnson faces charges under Section 354 of IPC (molestation). Unlike the other three accused priests who were slapped with Sections 376 (rape) also along with 354, Fr Johnson who belongs to the Thumpamon diocese of the Orthodox church has not been charged with rape.

The accused told the probe team that though he knew the woman he had not sexually abused her. The priest and the victim had studied in the same college during the same period. The woman had shared her trauma of being sexually abused by the other priests using her confession as tool for blackmail. The victim had given a statement that it was after this that Fr Johnson had started sending her lewd messages. The Kerala HC was set to pronounce its verdict on the bail plea filed by Fr Johnson on Friday.

The remaining two accused Fr Abraham Varghese (Sony) and Fr Jaise K George are still at large. The probe team searched the house of Fr Abraham in Pathanamthitta district on Friday. The anticipatory bail plea of both these priests were rejected by the high court on Wednesday. The absconding priests are reportedly planning to approach the Supreme Court seeking anticipatory bail. Fr Jaise is suspected to be in Delhi and the probe team will be leaving for Delhi if he doesn’t surrender in two days.

