Kerala nun rape: Police team leaves for Jalandhar to question accused bishop

Kerala high court judge has recused himself from a plea for court-monitored probe.

A six-member Kerala police team on Friday left for Jalandhar to question Bishop Frank Mullakkal , who is accused of sexually abusing a nun.

An FIR was registered against bishop Mullakkal on June 30 based on the nun’s complaint that she was sexually abused 13 times between 2014 and 2016. (AFP/Representative image)

The team, led by Vaikom deputy superintendent of police K Subhash, made a stopover in Delhi to question a woman who had filed a counter-complaint against the nun, accusing the 43-year-old of having an affair with her husband, officials familiar with the matter said.

A six-member team led by deputy superintendent of police, K Subhash will first meet a Delhi-based woman who filed a complaint against the nun before proceeding to Jalandhar, police sources said.

She had filed a counter-compliant against the nun, saying the latter had an alleged affair with her husband that spoiled her family life.

An FIR was registered against bishop Mullakkal on June 30 based on the nun’s complaint that she was sexually abused 13 times between 2014 and 2016. Later police also recorded her statement before a magistrate. She had also undergone a medical test.

However, the bishop had denied all the charges, saying he was targeted for taking action against her for financial irregularities and he also filed another case saying, he was being threatened by her family members.

In Kerala, justice Sunil Thomas recused himself from hearing a petition for a court-monitored probe filed by the Catholic Reformation Movement. The judge did not cite any reason for this.

The reformist group questioned the delay in arresting the bishop and sought enough protection to the complainant.

Many including CPI(M) veteran V S Achuthanandan have criticised the delay in acting against the bishop even a month after the case was filed.

Last week a priest was arrested after an audio clip — in which he was purportedly heard threatening an acquaintance of the victim to withdraw the complaint — surfaced.

Meanwhile, Kerala Catholic Bishop Conference president Archbishop Soosa Pakiam exhorted the clergy to go an extra mile to restore the trust of believers.

“Sanctity is uppermost for the clergy and everyone is obliged to protect this. Priests and nuns should be role models of simplicity and sanctity,” he said while addressing a religious meet in the state capital.

Without mentioning any case, he said of late clergy was in the news for bad reasons.