Bengaluru:
A 58-year-old priest has been booked for allegedly raping a woman on pretext of marriage and cheating her promising high monetary returns.
Police have identified the accused as Raja Shekara, a priest at a church in Jayanagara area.
On Sunday, a 50-year-old woman told police that she met the priest in the year 2000 when she visited the church. Since then, he had been assaulting her on the pretext of marriage. At that time, she was working as a teacher in a government school and even mentioned him as husband in her service register and made him a nominee. He also allegedly took ₹25-35 lakh from the woman, promising high returns. Years later, when she asked for her money, he threatened her with life and abused her in the name of caste.
Police said, the accused, who is on the run, recently tried to marry a 33-year-old woman after which the survivor filed a complaint.
“We have registered a case against the accused under IPC sections 376 (rape), 354A (sexual harassment), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), 417 (cheating), and 420 (fraud), and sections of the Prevention of Atrocities Act,’’ said women police station inspector, Noor Ahmed.