: Members of various Catholic reformation organisations took to the streets here Saturday to protest the alleged laxity in the probe into a complaint of rape filed by a nun against a Roman Catholic church bishop.
Five nuns from a convent in Kottayam, to which the victim belonged, also took part in the demonstration and alleged that she had been denied justice by the church, police and the government as no action has been initiated against the accused, Bishop Franco Mulakkal of the Jalandhar diocese.
"We are fighting for our sister. She has been denied justice by the Church, government and the police. We are ready to go to any extent for ensuring justice to our sister," a nun told protesters here, who held placards demanding arrest of Bishop Franco.
She sought to know why Bishop Franco has not been arrested despite sufficient evidence against him and also questioned the Church's stand on the matter.
"Seventy-four days have passed since the complaint was made against Bishop Franco. The police recorded her statements several times. But the accused bishop was interrogated only once," the nun said.
The nuns alleged that police probing the case were trying to sabotage the investigation.
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Catholic reformation organisations, including the Kerala Catholic Church Reformation Movement (KCRM), took part in the protest, KCRM office bearer George Joseph said
He said some outfits, including KCRM, planned to continue the stir till justice was delivered in the case.
Meanwhile, an independent MLA attacked the victim nun, allegedly using abusive language against her, for lodging a complaint against the Bishop.
Addressing a press conference in Kottayam,Poonjar MLA P C George sought to know why she had not complained in the initial stage of sexual misbehaviour by the Bishop.
The nun's family said they would initiate legal action against George for hurting her sentiments.
They said that the nun, who planned to hold a press conference tomorrow, called off it, saying she was hurt by Georges abusive charges against her.
AICC General Secretary Oommen Chandy said he believed that the law would take its own course in the case.
Former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan came out in support of the nun and urged the government to take steps to redress the grievances of agitating nuns.
He said the culprit in the case was an influential person who still remained untouched and it puts the victim nun under pressure.
Fr Paul Thelakkatt, a former spokesperson of the Syro Malabar Church, urged the church authorities "to listen to the grievances of nuns who have sacrificed their lives for the cause of Jesus."
In her complaint filed at Kuravilangad police station, the victim had alleged that she had received death threats from unknown people two months ago.
The nun has accused Jalandhar Bishop Franco of raping and having unnatural sex with her multiple times between 2014 and 2016.
A special team probing the case has said that according to preliminary investigation, Bishop Franco abused his position and repeatedly raped the nun.
Responding to a petition seeking a speedy probe, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kottayam, K Subhash had informed the Kerala High Court on August 13 that the probe was proceeding effectively and impartially.
The police, in a statement based on initial investigation and available evidence, had said it was found that the Bishop allegedly committed unnatural offence and raped the nun against her will.
In the statement it was alleged that the bishop confined the nun to a guest room in St Francis Mission Home at Kuravilangad in Kottayam district of Kerala.
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