Vicar booked for 'molesting' girl remanded in judicial custody

A vicar of a local church, arrested for allegedly molesting a nine-year-old girl, was today remanded in 14 days judicial custody by a court here.
The vicar of St. Paul's Church at Thaikkattussery, Raju Kokkan, was produced before the Irinjalakuda Judicial First Class Magistrate, Bijumon who remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days.
Kokkan, arrested in Nagercoil railway station in Tamil Nadu yesterday, was lodged in the Irinjalakuda sub-jail.
He has been booked under IPC Section 376 (punishment for rape), provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act-2012 and the IT Act 2000 following complaints from the parents of the victim, they said.

The parents had lodged a complaint stating that their daughter was sexually harassed by the vicar at the Church where she had been taking lessons for the 'Holy Communion', a church ceremony.
The vicar had offered her vestments for receiving the Holy Communion free of cost before allegedly molesting her. He also allegedly took nude photographs of the girl, police said.