The Catholic archbishop of Madras-Mylapore, Rev Malayappan Chinnappa, on Tuesday said the Ooty priest facing charges of sexual abuse of minor girls in the US should face the investigation there.

Commenting on the case of Rev Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, who is accused of sexually abusing two minor girls while serving at the diocese of Crookston in Minnesota, US, in 2004, the archbishop said, "Now the priest has to oblige, return to the US, if necessary, for further investigations. There is no way out."

Rev Chinnappa added that he had also asked the Bishop of Ooty to comply with the demands of the case. Rev Jeyapaul, while denying the charge, said he didn't even know one of the two accusers against him and that he was ready to go to the US, if he was wanted there, to prove himself innocent.