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Sexual assault: Kottayam nun had complained to superiors in Church, no action was taken, says police

On Friday, Kuravilangad police in Kottayam district registered a case of rape and unnatural sex against the bishop, based on a complaint by the nun. The bishop has in turn lodged a complaint that he is being threatened by the nun and her relatives.

Nun had complained to superiors in Church, no action was taken: Police The nun has alleged that the bishop, a native of Thrissur, sexually exploited her at the Missionaries of Jesus house at Kuravilangand in Kottayam.

Kerala police on Sunday recorded the statement of the Catholic nun who has alleged that Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal sexually abused her 13 times over two years since 2014.

On Friday, Kuravilangad police in Kottayam district registered a case of rape and unnatural sex against the bishop, based on a complaint by the nun. The bishop has in turn lodged a complaint that he is being threatened by the nun and her relatives.

“The nun has stuck to her earlier complaint that the bishop had sexually abused her 13 times. Going by her statement, there is a strong case against the bishop,’’ said DSP K Subhash, who is investigating both cases.

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According to the officer, the nun has told police that she took up the matter with the Church authorities, including Cardinal George Alancherry, who is head of the Kochi-based Syro-Malabar Church. “Asked about the delay in taking up the matter with police, the nun said she had last year informed superiors of the Church. As there was no action, she approached police,’’ he said.

The nun has alleged that the bishop, a native of Thrissur, sexually exploited her at the Missionaries of Jesus house at Kuravilangand in Kottayam. As the Jalandhar bishop is the patron of the Missionaries of Jesus, Mulakkal had easy access to the congregation’s house at Kuravilangad.

Festive offer

Police said the Kuravilangand house of the congregation has six nuns, the victim among them. Apart from the complainant, four other nuns of the same house have given statements against the bishop. Incidentally, the bishop’s complaint to police had mentioned the relatives of these four nuns. “We don’t think that the bishop’s complaint against the nuns and their relatives is genuine,’’ a police source said.

Kottayam SP Hari Sankar said the Bishop would be questioned after analysing the victim’s statement and other evidence. “We would subject the nun to medical examination to ascertain the sexual abuse and would get her statement recorded by a judicial magistrate.’’

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The SP said a case would be registered against the Church authorities if anyone of them was found to have hushed up the nun’s complaint.

Meanwhile, a section of laypeople of Ernakulam archdiocese on Sunday lodged a complaint with IG, Kochi, demanding legal action against Cardinal George Alancherry, who allegedly failed to act on the issue. The laypeople, under the banner of Archdiocese Movement for Transparency, have been leading a protest against the Cardinal over allegations of irregularities in a land deal.

In the complaint to IG, Kochi, the organisation alleged that the Cardinal had tried to protect the accused and threatened the victim to take back her complaint. The Cardinal hadn’t handed over the complaint to police nor to the Vatican, they alleged.

The Cardinal’s secretary Fr Jimmy Poochakkattu said the Cardinal is in Rome.

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“If he had received the complaint from the nun, it might have been moved to the Archbishop of Delhi Archdiocese, under which the Jalandhar diocese comes. Only Delhi Archbishop can act on a complaint against Jalandhar bishop,’’ said Poochakkattu.

First uploaded on: 02-07-2018 at 02:17 IST
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