Nun abuse case: Bishop claims innocence

Franco Mulakkal, a Bishop of the Jalandhar diocese who has been accused of rape and unnatural sex by a nun, today claimed that he is innocent and said the truth will come out in the police investigation.

"I know that I am innocent, but that is not enough. Bringing out the truth is also my responsibility now," he told 'Mathrubhumi', a Malayalam news channel.

"I believe that the police investigation in the case will bring out the truth," he added.

Dismissing reports that he may leave the country to evade arrest, Mulakkal said, "All this is propaganda. I am here in the diocese carrying out my daily duties."

"I will fully cooperate in the investigation," he added.

His statement comes a day after a police officer supervising the investigation into the case told PTI that the team had written to the Immigration department requesting them not to allow the Bishop, having international connections, to leave the country.

In her complaint to the Kottayam district police chief, the nun charged Mulakkal with rape and unnatural sex multiple times at a small town near Kottayam between 2014 and 2016.

The Bishop said the Kerala police had not contacted him in connection with the case so far.

When asked about the other nuns who had given statements against him to the police, the Bishop said they could be working against him as a group.

Two years ago, Mulakkal claimed, a woman had complained to the Mother Superior of the nun's congregation alleging that she was trying to destroy her family.

The nun's family rejected the allegation and said that Mulakkal was indulging in character assassination.

Clergymen supporting Mulakkal had earlier said that the nun lodged a complaint against him after a priest, also an official of the Jalandhar diocese lodged one against her relatives for allegedly threatening the Bishop.

In his complaint, the priest had alleged that the nun's relatives had threatened to kill Mulakkal after he ordered a probe against her on the basis of the complaint received by Mother Superior of her congregation.

Last week, the nun had complained to the National Commission for Women (NCW) that the Kerala Police is "not working" in the case as the accused is a "highly linked" person.

NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said the commission would extend all possible help to the nun in her fight.