Kerala: Four nuns protesting against rape-accused bishop asked to leave Kuravilangad Convent

The Missionaries of Jesus on Wednesday sent a reminder notice to four nuns, who have been protesting for the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal for allegedly raping their fellow nun, to leave their convent in Kerala.

Last year in April, the Missionaries of Jesus gave transfer order, but, the four nuns refused to move out from Kerala's Kuravilangad Convent.

Notably, these nuns had issued public statements in connection with the rape case against the Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal last year. However, on the basis of the findings unearthed by its inquiry commission, the Missionaries of Jesus in September 2018 stated that the four nuns were influenced by the "thoughts of rationalists."

In a statement released by the Missionaries of Jesus, it was reiterated that the victim, along with other nuns and four other people, were conspiring against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, and accused the nuns of tampering with the visitor's register and the CCTV system on the day of the incident.

"Victim's friend was handling the visitor's register in the convent, they must have tampered with this. The victim has forcefully taken control of the CCTV system from mother superior," a statement read.

The organisation also claimed that on the day of the incident as cited by the nun, the Bishop was not present in the premises of Kuravilangad Convent.

"The bishop did not stay in the Kuruvilangad convent on May 5, 2014 as claimed in the rape complaint by the nun. On May 23, 2015, she (the victim) can be seen enthusiastically attending a private function with the bishop. All these points conclude that there was no rape," the statement added.

The nun has accused Bishop Mulakkal of raping and forcing unnatural sex on her multiple times between 2014 and 2016.

Earlier, the nuns have also alleged that the probe is being delayed as the accused is an influential authority in the Roman Catholic Church.