Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala police on Saturday pushed ahead with investigations in the case of a Catholic bishop based in Jalandhar allegedly abusing a nun in Kerala. The statement of the bishop of Pala was recorded.
The statement was regarding the nun’s allegation that she had made a complaint of sexual abuse against Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal to the bishop of Pala, Mathew Kallarangat.
The nun had also informed police that she had apprised the vicar of the Kuravilangad church in Kottayam district about the abuse, and police had taken his statement. According to the nun’s statement, the Jalandhar bishop had abused her as many as 13 times, an allegation denied by the bishop. The abuse allegedly happened in Kuravilangad, about 40km from Kottayam.
Police may also take the statement of Syro-Malabar Church head, cardinal George Alencherry, because the nun has claimed she had given a written complaint to him on the matter about six months ago, and that the church had taken no action on her complaint.
In a related development, the Jalandhar police commissioner told a Malayalam television channel that the Kerala police had not even called him so far in connection with the sex abuse allegation made by the nun.
He said he had received a complaint by the Jalandhar bishop, claiming that the nun’s brother was threatening him.
Kerala is also rocked by another sex abuse case in the Orthodox Church, with a married woman alleging that she was abused by four priests, blackmailing her through information gleaned during her confessions.
Two of the accused priests have already been arrested, while the other two are moving bail petitions. The first accused in the case, Abraham Varghese has moved a bail petition in the Supreme Court of India. Another priest who is at large, Jais K. George, is expected to file a bail plea on Monday. Abraham Varghese is accused of sexually abusing the woman when she was only 16 years old.
