A British-born man, who is managing an orphanage in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district, has been arrested on charges of sexually abusing a minor boy.
The accused, identified as John Patrick Bridge, was produced before a local court which remanded him to judicial custody, said Rahul P. R, Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police.
The victim was one among about 400 children staying in the orphanage called Faith Outreach situated in the Cox Colony area of Jharsuguda town.
Bridge was booked under Section 341 of the IPC, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and further investigations were going on, said Mr. Rahul. The boy hailed from Rayagada district.
Another inquiry into the misuse of funds given to Faith Outreach by a New Zealand-based funding agency is also going on. The Faith Outreach was established two decades ago by Bridge, who has since taken Indian citizenship, and his wife. It was providing both shelter and education.
Meanwhile, Faith Outreach was sealed by the Jharsuguda district administration under a child rights protection guideline.
In a similar child abuse case, Faiz Rehman, a pastor running a child shelter home called Good News India Dream Centre in Dhenkanal district was arrested in 2018.
