Priest arrested on sex abuse charges, denied bail

Greater Kashmir, India/June 22, 2006

Jammu -- Duty Magistrate Jammu Amit Sharma Second Additional Munsiff today rejected bail application of Rameshwar Sharma, a priest, on charges of sodomising a 14-year old boy.

According to the police case is that on June 16, 2006 Police Station Kanachak received a written report from the mother of the 14 –year old victim. She had complained that the accused had sexually abused the boy at his residence two months ago.

The victim disclosed the incident to his mother who then filed a complaint in police station.

In the four pages rejection order Amit Sharma Duty Magistrate observed that as the present offence is a social offence is against the society, where the victim is minor boy of 14 years age and has been sexually abused by the priest of the temple, thus law permits the curtailment of liberty of these anti-social elements, who under the cover of saffron has sexually abused the minor children for the satisfaction of their sexual lust. Keeping in view the nature and seriousness of the offence as well as the interest of society at large, the present bail application is rejected.