Three held in Rector murder case

Mangalore Today News Network

Bangalore, March 22, 2014: The police on Friday claimed to have solved the murder case of Rect­or Fr K J Thomas of St Peter Pontifical Seminary at Mal­leswaram when they arre­s­ted two priests and a seminarian.

The suspects murdered Fr Thomas on March 31, 2013, as he was allegedly sidelining them and ensuring prominent positions at the institution for his close aides, Director General and Inspector General of Police L R Pachuau and Bangalore Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar said at a press conference here.

However, officers involved in the probe told Deccan Herald that the outcome of the investigation was based on “loose statements and claims” and mere circumstantial evidences.

They also admitted that it was extremely difficult to prove the charges against the trio in the court. “We just followed the instructions given to us by the home department that the probe should be completed or charge sheet filed before March 31.”

The arrested are: Fr Elias, 35, Fr William Patrick, 46, and Peter 22. Fr Elias is at present in charge of a school in Gulbarga and Fr Patrick is the parish priest at St Francis of Assisi Church in Kengeri Satellite Town. Peter, a resident of Siluvepura near Soladevanahalli, is a student at the seminary and a pupil of Fr Elias.

Fr Thomas had been working in the seminary for a long time. The two priests, including several others, were disgruntled with Fr Thomas as they felt they were being sidelined.