Satisfied with the probe, no need to involve CBI: HC
The Kerala high court on Thursday said the ongoing investigation against Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mullakal, who is accused of sexually assaulting a nun, was progressing satisfactorily and said there was no need for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe at this time.
The court observed that it was up to the special investigation team (SIT) probing the case to decide whether the bishop should be arrested and asked those who have demanded his immediate detention to be patient. The court was hearing petitions alleging that the police investigation in the case had been ineffective.
Nuns staging a sit-in that entered the sixth day in Kochi on Thursday said their protest will continue till their colleague receives justice. The 43-year-old nun belonging to the Missionaries of Jesus congregation has alleged that the bishop had sexually assaulted her 13 times in a Kottayam convent between 2014 and 2016. The bishop has denied the allegations.
A high court bench headed by chief justice Rishikesh Roy said the complainant or witnesses can approach the court if they feel threatened by the accused or his supporters. The court accepted the contention of SIT that it needed time to collect more evidence and clear contradictions in statements given by the complainant and the accused.
“Conviction in the case is (more) important than the arrest,” the court reminded the counsel for petitioner who sought the accused’s arrest. SIT said the probe were underway in five states and the complainant was being given high-level security.
The court, which had earlier directed the government and police to update it on details of action taken against the bishop, said it will hear the case again on September 24. SIT had issued summons to the bishop to appear before it on September 19 for a second round of questioning. The team had questioned him in Jalandhar last month.
On Tuesday, the nun had released a seven-page letter she sent to the Vatican ambassador in India, narrating how her plight had been overlooked by church authorities. In the letter, she listed the names of all the people she had approached with her complaint, including the Pope and the ambassador, but claimed no one had come to her help or taken any action against the bishop. Terming the bishop a “predator”, she alleged at least 20 nuns had been forced to leave the congregation because of his sexual advances.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: