New Delhi. A pastor from Kerala has got a big relief from the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court suspended the sentence of life imprisonment by Father Edwin Pigrez, a Catholic pastor convict of a minor girl, was suspended by the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Chief Justice BR Gawai and Justice K.K. The bench of Vinod Chandran ordered the suspension of the punishment to the Christian pastor. The Supreme Court bench also granted bail till the decision on the appeal filed against the sentence by Father Edwin Pigrej. The Kerala High Court converted a life imprisonment of Christian pastor to a life imprisonment of 20 years.
Pastor Father Edwin Pigrez has been accused of constant rape and sexual harassment from a minor girl. Under the section of IPC, the court had said that a minor can be given life imprisonment for being guilty of rape. Whereas, the maximum punishment in the provisions of Section 376 is 10 years. Suspending the punishment for the pastor, the Supreme Court bench said that he has been in jail for 10 years so far. The bench also said that even if the sentence of 20 years hearing by the Kerala High Court is considered as the Supreme Court, the pastor has been half his sentence.
On this basis, a bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai in the Supreme Court ordered bail to the pastor and suspend the sentence. The Supreme Court said that the trial court would decide the conditions of bail of the pastor. There will be no further action until the decision on the appeal of Pastor Edwin Pigghej in the Supreme Court. Explain that the courts consider the rape from a minor to be a serious offense. In such cases, sections of the Poxo Act are also imposed on the accused. Currently, the Supreme Court has given relief to the Catholic priest of Kerala. If the Supreme Court confirmed the Kerala High Court’s decision, the pastor will have to go to jail once again.
