The high court has said that the reputation of the accused before committing crime should not be considered while adjudicating criminal cases when evidence is against them.
“It was reported recently in the newspapers that a Cardinal, a person of a fairly high standing in the Church, admitted to sexually abusing young boys. What we want to convey is that the cloak of a stature cannot be used as a cover, if otherwise there is good and credible evidence pointing towards the guilt of a person,” Justice Pradeep Nandrajog said.
“The most pious men are found to be indulging in the most nefarious activities. Everyday, a controversy on the issue of sexual abuse of young boys by priests appears in the newspapers pertaining to the visit of the Pope to the United Kingdom,” the court said.
The court’s remarks came while dismissing an appeal filed by an accused challenging his conviction in rape and murder of a minor girl on the ground that he was like grandfather to her and he couldn’t commit such crime.
“The argument of the appellant that the deceased used to call him as her dada and that he was a man of repute and hence it was unbelievable that he did the crime, is neither here nor there for the reason when the devil within would overpower the good in a man is very difficult to comment upon,” the court said. “A court of law is concerned with evidence brought before it,” the court said.