<p>A catholic priest, wanted in a case of alleged rape of a teenaged girl earlier this year, today surrendered before police at Aluva near here.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Police said Edwin Figarez, the priest attached to the Lourdes Matha Church, Puthenvelikkara in Ernakulam district, surrendered before Aluva Deputy SP P P Shams.<br /><br />A lookout notice was issued against him after Kerala High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea in May this year.<br /><br />Police said he has been taken into custody by the probe team. The priest will be produced before the court tomorrow, they said.<br /><br />Figarez had been missing ever since the High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea on May 5.<br /><br />A spokesperson for Kottappuram Diocese had earlier said Figarez had been "suspended for the time being" from parish services after a pastoral commission appointed by the Bishop prepared a "preliminary report" about the alleged incident of sexual assault of the 14-year-old in a church complex between January and March this year, mostly when she came for confession.<br /><br />In her complaint, the girl's mother had alleged that the priest abused her daughter many times when she sought his services for confession. </p>
<p>A catholic priest, wanted in a case of alleged rape of a teenaged girl earlier this year, today surrendered before police at Aluva near here.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Police said Edwin Figarez, the priest attached to the Lourdes Matha Church, Puthenvelikkara in Ernakulam district, surrendered before Aluva Deputy SP P P Shams.<br /><br />A lookout notice was issued against him after Kerala High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea in May this year.<br /><br />Police said he has been taken into custody by the probe team. The priest will be produced before the court tomorrow, they said.<br /><br />Figarez had been missing ever since the High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea on May 5.<br /><br />A spokesperson for Kottappuram Diocese had earlier said Figarez had been "suspended for the time being" from parish services after a pastoral commission appointed by the Bishop prepared a "preliminary report" about the alleged incident of sexual assault of the 14-year-old in a church complex between January and March this year, mostly when she came for confession.<br /><br />In her complaint, the girl's mother had alleged that the priest abused her daughter many times when she sought his services for confession. </p>