Kerala Police reviews progress in nun rape case, protest enters 5th day

Amid mounting pressure on the police to initiate action against a Roman Catholic Bishop accused of raping a nun, a meeting was held Wednesday to review the progress made in the case even as a clergyman of an influential Kerala diocese slammed the public trial in the matter.

Kottayam District Superintendent of Police Harisankar, Vaikom Deputy Superintendent of Police K Subhash, who is heading the special investigation team, and other officials attended the review meeting chaired by Ernakulam Range IG Vijay Sakhare in Kochi.

Before the meeting, being held amid allegations of attempts to sabotage the case, Subhash told reporters that a notice may be issued to Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar diocese to appear before the investigating team.

Harisankar, however, said the meeting was held to finalise the affidavit to be filed before the high court in this connection tomorrow.

On Monday, the Kerala High Court had directed the state government to inform it of the steps taken by the special investigation team probing the case of alleged rape of the nun by the Bishop.

While considering a plea filed by George Joseph K of the Kerala Catholic Church Reformation Movement seeking a court-monitored probe into the case, the court had said, "Law is above all other things and it will take its own course."
Speaking to reporters in Jalandhar, the Bishop had said, "If I am found guilty, which I am not, I am likely to be punished... I will appear before police if I am summoned. I am a law abiding citizen."