Tribal woman alleges sexual exploitation by Catholic priest

The police took cognisance of Margrita’s complaint under sections 376 (rape), 496 (indulging in rituals of marriage fraudulently) and 511 (attempt to hide an offence) of the Indian Penal Code against Father Topnu on Friday a week after the Ranchi Chief Judicial Magistrate court directed it to do so on December 3.

Margrita’s four-page petition narrates how she was exploited for sex by Fr. Topnu. Margrita is an orphan and she was brought up in Mahuagaon church premises in Singhbhum under the care of two other RC priests.

She was married to Mukti Prakash Topno, a resident of theneighbouring Gumla district, on Dec 27, 1993 and soon, Fr Topno, who was the former’s friend “started molesting her”, alleges the petition.

Unfortunately, when she told her husband about this, Mukti Prakash, instead of taking action against Fr. Topno, blamed her and kicked her out of his house.

He reportedly asked the priest intervene, perform rituals of marriage with her and keep her as his wife in a rented house in Bandgaon, claims her petition.

A year later, she delivered a girl child at a Ranchi hospital where Fr. Topno has given his name as father of the child, claimed the petition.

BJP rath yatras

RANCHI: THE BJP has begun its rath yatras throughout Bihar to challenge what it called the `prevailing jungle rule’ in the state. BJP’s vananchal committee spokesman Umashankar Kedia said in all ten rath yatras were flagged off from different places across the state on Saturday.