<p>Panaji Judicial Magistrate on Thursday directed the Goa Superintendent of Police, Crime, to execute the arrest warrant against Fr Newton Rodrigues, who was a parish priest in Goa some years ago. The Goan priest now serves in a parish in Canada.<br /><br />Fr Newton had been asked to be present in the lower court on Thursday to depose in the criminal trial of activist lawyer Aires Rodrigues and 14 others.<br /><br />The case goes back seven years when Fr Newton who served as parish priest of Ribandar Church faced a confrontation with the lawyer and his supporters over allegations of child molestation.<br /><br />The priest denied all allegations of misconduct and the government closed the case against him. But the lawyer and others are still being tried for trespass.<br /><br />Lawyer Aires Rodrigues, who is arguing in his own defence in the court, said he would move the government to seek Interpol help to get the priest back from Canada.</p>
<p>Panaji Judicial Magistrate on Thursday directed the Goa Superintendent of Police, Crime, to execute the arrest warrant against Fr Newton Rodrigues, who was a parish priest in Goa some years ago. The Goan priest now serves in a parish in Canada.<br /><br />Fr Newton had been asked to be present in the lower court on Thursday to depose in the criminal trial of activist lawyer Aires Rodrigues and 14 others.<br /><br />The case goes back seven years when Fr Newton who served as parish priest of Ribandar Church faced a confrontation with the lawyer and his supporters over allegations of child molestation.<br /><br />The priest denied all allegations of misconduct and the government closed the case against him. But the lawyer and others are still being tried for trespass.<br /><br />Lawyer Aires Rodrigues, who is arguing in his own defence in the court, said he would move the government to seek Interpol help to get the priest back from Canada.</p>
