The Supreme Court on Thursday held an in-camera hearing of the anticipatory bail pleas filed by two priests accused in a rape case and reserved it for final orders.
The State of Kerala, represented by senior advocate V. Giri, said it would not arrest the accused in the meanwhile.
The priests, Fr. Sony Varghese and Fr. Jaise K. George, had separately moved the apex court against a Kerala High Court decision denying them anticipatory bail. Senior advocates Basant R., Bechu Kurian Thomas, and assisted by advocate A. Karthik, appeared for the accused. The priests are accused of raping a married woman. The High Court had dismissed their plea and ordered them to surrender forthwith.
The survivor, in her statement, had asserted that her consent was not unequivocal or voluntary.
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