Kerala nuns say officials trying to sabotage probe

Kochi: The protest by Catholic reformation organisations against alleged laxity in the probe into the rape complaint by a nun against a Roman Catholic Bishop entered the second day here Sunday with a group of five nuns accusing top police officials of trying to sabotage it.

The nuns from a convent in Kottayam, to which the ‘rape’ survivor belonged, slammed the reported move to hand over the probe against Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar diocese to the crime branch wing.

Taking part in the protest seeking justice for “their sister” allegedly raped by a Roman Catholic Bishop for the second day, they reposed confidence in the ongoing probe by Vaikom DSP K Subhash.

The nuns claimed the police officers were trying to delay the probe into the case to save the Bishop. “We have full faith in the investigation being carried out by the Deputy Superintendent of Police. But the top police officials are not giving him permission to take the Bishop into custody and do his custodial interrogation. They are not allowing him to carry out a free and fair investigation.They are delaying the probe and trying to sabotage the case," one of the nuns told reporters at Kuravilan-gadu in Kottayam district.

They alleged that the police action in the case help the culprits eliminate the victimised nun and the nuns stand by her. The nuns said they have decided to initiate legal action against an Independent MLA who had allegedly attacked the complainant using abusive language.

Addressing a press conference in Kottayam Saturday, Poonjar MLA PC George had sought to know why she had not complained in the initial stage of sexual misbehaviour by the bishop.

Meanwhile, the family members of the affected nun also said they have full faith in the probe by the DSP and were planning to approach the Kerala High Court seeking a court-monitored investigation.

"We have full faith in the investigation officer," one of the family members told reporters.