KOZHIKODE: The delay in reporting the alleged rape of the nun could result in losing cyber evidence about the case, which could have come handy for the police to establish the physical presence of the bishop at the scene of the crime, according to a cyber expert.
Cyber forensic expert Dr P. Vinod Bhattathiripad told DC that the time gap has caused non-availability of telecom evidence to scientifically prove the bishop's physical presence at the alleged rape scene. The alleged rapes took place between 2014 and 2016. “If the nun’s claim is correct, the bishop had physically visited the rape scene, possibly with his mobile phone. He may have received and also initiated several phone calls, SMS, WhatsApp calls and messages etc during his onward and return journey and also during his stay there. His SIM card company then would have surely kept the records of each of these telecom transactions along with the details of the tower under which he was present at that time. Such telecom records, if made available, would become pieces of crucial cyber evidence against the bishop,” he said.
As per law, the telecom companies are bound to keep such telecom records only for a year. Unfortunately, the delay of more than a year to lodge the complaint has caused non-availability of such pieces of crucial evidence.
In the absence such scientific evidence, the police had to depend on oral evidence and had to take additional measures to prove the integrity of the available witnesses before arresting the bishop. It is understood that the police has relied heavily upon the testimony of the nuns who were formerly members of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation to prove the delinquent behavior of the bishop. It has also taken the statement of the driver of the vehicle which dropped him at St Francis Home in Kuravilangad.
