Kerala nun rape case: Family claims it was offered Rs 5 crore, 10 acres of land to drop case against Bishop Franco Mulakkal

The kin of the Kerala-based nun, who was sexually abused by Bishop Franco Mulakkal, has claimed they were offered Rs 5 crore and some land to withdraw the case against the senior clergyman. The nun’s brother claimed that Mulakkal’s brother also offered the family 10 acres of land. However, the family started receiving death threats after they refused to drop the case, reported  Times Now . The family of the survivor and a few other nuns who have stood in her support claim that the political class and the police were trying to shield the Bishop. They claimed that the police probing the case was trying to sabotage the investigation. The survivor was also shamed by a local independent MLA PC George, who claimed on Saturday that the 44-year-old nun was a prostitute and was framing the accused. [caption id=“attachment_5148731” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Nuns on a protest in Kottayam, Kerala, seeking Jalandhar Bishop Mulakkal’s arrest for rape. Image: TK Devasia[/caption] “No one has doubt that the nun is a prostitute. 12 times she enjoyed it and the 13th time it is rape? Why didn’t she complain the first time?” George had said. His comments attracted sharp reactions from the National Commission of Women and the Kerala Police team probing the incident. NCW chief Rekha Sharma said: “I am ashamed of such lawmakers who are giving these statements instead of helping women. This is absolutely shameful. The NCW has already taken up the matter and we will write to DGP demanding strict action against him.” “I met the nun in person, who was in a deep trauma. She was crying. She was protesting against the Bishop and demanding justice for herself. I have seen her being denounced by the church. She was denied basic facilities like ration and stipend. On that bishop, I have written to the home ministry as the Punjab government and Kerala Police have not done anything. The Bishop should be punished,” Sharma further said. George, however, continued his allegations against the survivor and five other nuns, who stood in her support. Talking to reporters at his residence in Poonjar, George said he had certain doubts on the real victim in the case.  “Who is the real victim? The nun or the Bishop? he asked. Following this, the Kerala Police have initiated action against George . The Kottayam district police chief also directed the head of the SIT to record the survivor’s statement. On Monday_,_ the Kerala High Court asked the state government about the steps taken by the special investigation team probing the case. A division bench also sought to know the steps taken by the government to ensure the safety and security of the survivor and other nuns who are supporting her in her fight. Five nuns, who are members of the Joint Christian Council have been sitting on a protest since the last four days in Kochi, and have said that they will also hold demonstrations in the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram from Wednesday,  India Today  reported. They were joined by the Catholic reformation organisations, including the Kerala Catholic Church Reformation Movement, at their indefinite protest in Kochi, seeking justice for the nun. The incident came to light after a case was registered in June against four priests of Malankara Orthodox Church for alleged sexual assault. The accused had allegedly threatened to disclose the nun’s confessions, made in the church, and used it to draw sexual favours. The Bishop has been accused of rape and unnatural sex with the complainant multiple times between 2014 and 2016. In her complaint filed at Kuravilangad Police Station, the rape survivor had alleged that she had received death threats from unknown people two months ago. In her statement, the survivor also was alleged that the bishop confined the nun to a guest room in St Francis Mission Home in Kuravilangad in Kottayam district of Kerala. A special team probing the case has said that according to preliminary investigations, Bishop Franco abused his position and repeatedly raped the nun and that the bishop could be called in for interrogation this week. The police also dismissed protesters allegations that they were biased in any way and said that there were a “lot of contradictions” in the statements given by the nun, witnesses and accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar diocese and that a decision on further action would be taken after clearing all the doubts. Meanwhile, many political parties and leaders came out in support of the nun. Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala said there were charges that the probe was proceeding very slowly. “Police have not completed the probe even 76 days after registering the case. It is a serious issue. Investigation should be completed quickly and the culprits should be given punishment as prescribed in the law,” he told reporters in Kochi. He urged the government and police to end the move to ‘weaken’ the investigation in the case. “Complete the probe in a time bound manner and convince the people of the facts about the case,” he said. With inputs from agencies