Jalandhar: Leaders of various national women’s organizations and human rights activists in India have requested the Vatican to advise Pope Francis to remove Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar from his post at least until an investigation was on his alleged sexual harassment of a nun.

The women leaders on July 25 submitted a memorandum to Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro.

A member of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation in June filed a police complaint against the bishop alleging that he had sexually abused her several times during 2014-2016.

One of the women leaders, Annie Raja, general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women, said an impartial inquiry could be conducted only if the bishop stepped down. The activists have already taken up the matter with the National Women Commission, which has assured all help to the aggrieved nun.

Earlier, the Joint Christian Council too had demanded the bishop’s removal. “Bishop Franco Mulakkal and other priests who have similar complaints against them should be immediately removed. The churches should take immediate action,” the council had said.
A police team was in Bengaluru mid-July to interrogate two former nuns, who had served with the complainant when the offence allegedly took place, reports tribuneindia.com.

The police officer who leads the team said he would meet the nuncio in New Delhi soon to discuss the issue before coming to Jalandhar for the bishop’s interrogation.

Hari Sankar, head of the police in Kottayam, said when his team would visit Jalandhar to conduct a medical examination of the bishop. “We have collected a lot of evidence in the form of written complaints that the Sister had filed against the bishop.

“But we are now talking to the witnesses with whom she discussed her problem at the time when she says she was actually suffering. An audio clip submitted by the complainant last week regarding a telephonic conversation between Kerala’s Syro-Malabar Catholic Church head Cardinal George Alencherry and the nun, too, has been a big clue in the case,” he added.

Meanwhile, Father Peter Kavumpuram, spokesperson of Jalandhar diocese, said the demand for the bishop’s removal was another vicious move against him.

“The bishop will be fully cooperating with the Kerala police and is ready for all medical tests,” the priest added.

(Source: tribuneindia.com)