Fr. Sleeva Raju Policetti: Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor

Fr. Sleeva Raju Policetti

Ordained: 1987

  • 1988-1996: Unknown
  • 1997-2002: St. Tarcissus, Chicago, IL (CHI)
  • 2003-2019: Unknown

Fr. Sleeva Raju Policetti was ordained for the Archdiocese of Hyderabad, India in 1987. Fr. Policetti began working in the Archdiocese of Chicago as an extern priest in 1996. In 2002, Fr. Policetti reportedly fled back to India after it was reported to the police that he was having an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old girl while he worked at St. Tarcissus in Chicago. St. Tarcissus was reportedly Fr. Policetti’s only American post, which he joined in 1996. Fr. Policetti was charged with 20 counts of criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse but was never extradited to the U.S. to face them. Fr. Policetti has been named in one civil lawsuit and was laicized by the Vatican in 2008. In 2018, Fr. Policetti was included on the Archdiocese of Chicago’s list of “Extern and International Priests with Substantiated Allegations of Sexual Misconduct with Minors.”