Meerut: Diocese rejects as false allegations against priest arrested for molestation
Police arrested Fr Albert, 67, after a Dalit woman filed a complaint against him alleging improper behaviour towards her daughter. The day before, she had asked that her children be enrolled for free at a Church-run school. Bishop Kalist urges the faithful to pray. Fr Albert “is innocent,” he said, and this will be proven.
Meerut (AsiaNews) – Police in Baghpat, a district in Uttar Pradesh, arrested a 67-year-old Catholic priest from the Diocese of Meerut, Fr Albert S, in connection with the alleged rape of an underage Dalit girl on 22 April after molesting her for weeks.
The girl's mother told police that the priest had threatened her as well, warning her not to tell anyone.
The 67-year-old priest, who serves as parish priest in the village of Lalyana, was taken into custody last Saturday after police summoned him to the local police station, ostensibly to “discuss some important matter”.
Upon arrival he was taken into custody under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Act, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Police also collected DNA samples from the priest and the girl as part of their investigation.
The Diocese of Meerut immediately reacted to the arrest, calling the accusations against Fr Albert false.
In a press statement, the diocese explained the day before the alleged rape, the girl’s mother went to St Joseph's Hindi medium school, which is run by the diocese, asking that her two sons and daughter be admitted.
School principal Sr Geetanjali told the mother that certain forms had to be filled out, and asked her to come back the next day with the necessary papers to complete the formalities.
However, the following day the mother went to see Fr Albert asking for free admission, uniforms and books.
The priest, who says he never met her before, turned down the request, saying that all the formalities had to be completed first. The next day he was arrested.
“We know that Fr. Albert is innocent,” writes Bishop Kalist in a statement. “Since this false allegation is related to a minor we are in a difficult situation. But we are sure that the Lord who is the Truth will help us to prove the innocence of Fr. Albert.”
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07/02/2019 17:28
