TIRUVALLA: The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court here recorded the statement of the victim of sexual abuse by priests. The statement was recorded under section 164 of IPC following the application of the Crime Branch probe team on Tuesday evening.
SP Merin Joseph, included in the team as the woman probe officer, along with Sabu P Mathew SP of the CB and Josy Cheriyan DySP of the CB, recorded the victim’s statement. The victim arrived at the DySP’s office with her parents and a relative. She had met her advocate in Tiruvalla before meeting the probe team. Medical tests were conducted at Taluk Hospital at Tiruvalla on Tuesday at 3.30 pm. She was taken to hospital in a police vehicle.
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The recording of statement at the court began at 5.15 pm as the magistrate allowed the probe team to present the woman after office hours.
The recording ended at 7.15 pm. She did not cover her head or face while deposing before the court. “At present, she has confidence in the support of the family members and local people,” one of her relatives said. The woman did not speak to reporters.
‘Attempts to sabotage case’
The victim’s husband alleged the Church was trying to sabotage the case by leaking his wife’s written statement to the media. “They are planning to kill the case. The copy of the statement had been presented to the Church authorities along with the previous complaint. But they misused the statement,”
he said.