Supreme Court Suspends Sentence of Catholic Priest Convicted of Raping Minor Girl

In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of India has suspended the sentence of a Catholic priest convicted of repeatedly raping a minor girl, allowing him to be released on bail while his appeal is pending. The order was passed by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India B. R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran.

The priest, Father Edwin Pigarez, was originally sentenced by a special court to life imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life. In February 2024, the Kerala High Court upheld his conviction but reduced the sentence to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment without remission.

The Supreme Court noted that Pigarez has already served nearly 10 years in prison. Under Section 376(2)(i) & (n) of the IPC, which governs aggravated rape cases, the minimum punishment is 10 years, though courts may impose a life sentence in extreme circumstances. Given that he had served approximately half of his 20-year sentence, the bench decided to suspend the remaining term until the final disposal of his appeal.

The case involved repeated sexual assault of a minor girl within the priest’s parish. The trial court initially imposed life imprisonment till natural death, reflecting the gravity of the offense. The High Court later considered factors such as the time already served and reduced the sentence to 20 years.

The Supreme Court’s decision has sparked mixed reactions. Critics argue that suspending the sentence in such a heinous crime risks undermining justice and could further traumatize the victim. Supporters, however, emphasize that the ruling follows legal principles of proportionality and preserves the right to appeal while avoiding excessive pre-appeal incarceration.

The case will now proceed to a full hearing in the Supreme Court, which will ultimately determine whether to uphold or overturn the conviction and final sentence. Until then, Father Pigarez remains on bail under strict conditions.