The police have issued a lookout notice against Edwin Figarez, a Catholic priest accused of sexually exploiting a 14-year-old girl in Puthenvelikkara.
The step comes after the Kerala High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail on May 5, following which he went into hiding. “Having surrendered his passport to us on April 29, there is no possibility of him leaving the country. But he may have left Kerala and we are extending our search to the neighbouring States as well,” said an official. The case against the priest with the Lourdes Matha Church was registered in April, based on a complaint from the victim’s mother. She alleged that the priest abused her daughter, a Class 9 student, several times between January and March, when she sought his services for confession.
The priest had fled the country immediately after the case was filed against him, but flew back to appear for his anticipatory bail plea hearing.
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