Indian priest arrested in America for posessing child pornographic images

news

The News Minute | January 8, 2015 | 3.35 PM IST An Indian Christian priest has been arrested by the US police for possessing child pornographic pictures and asking a 14-year-old boy to delete them from his mobile. A case of obscenity was registered against Rev. Jose Palimattom, Huffington Post reported. The forty-seven-year-old priest told the police that he had already been reprimanded by Church officials in India for similar incidents, but no complaint registered. He was in Florida’s West Palm Beach for a two-year assignment. While in India he was a priest of the Franciscan Province of St Thomas the Apostle. A spokesperson at the diocese office in Bengaluru told The News Minute that had not got any official confirmation on the arrest, but refused to speak more on the issue. Media reports from Palm Beach say the priest had messaged the teen on Facebook seeking help with his phone. After the mass on Sunday the priest gave his mobile to the teen and asked him to delete about 40 images of nude teens. The boy’s father made the complaint after he was informed about the incident by the boy. One report says that when Jose Palimattom had joined the church in Florida, the head pastor had told the deputies that he should not be allowed to have contact with minors without the presence of an adult. The Diocese of Palm Beach co-operated with the investigating team and said that he was greatly concerned and took the charges very seriously. The diocese says that they allowed the priest to work as no incriminating details had emerged during background checks. Tweet Follow @thenewsminute

Show us some love! Support our journalism by becoming a TNM Member - Click here.