Nun Accuses Bishop of Sexual Assault; Accused Denies Charges, Files Counter Complaint

India.com
June 30, 2018

http://www.india.com/news/india/after-sexual-abuse-allegations-against-5-kerala-priests-kottayam-nun-claims-bishop-assaulted-her-3139909/

After Sexual Abuse Allegations Against 5 Kerala Priests, Kottayam Nun Claims Bishop Assaulted Her

Kottayam (Kerala), June 30: Days after five Kerala priests were accused of sexually assaulting and blackmailing a woman, a nun on Saturday filed a complaint alleging that she was sexually abused by a bishop. The Kottayam Police have registered a complaint based on the complaint of the nun. Denying the charges, the bishop filed a counter complaint against the nun alleging that she was taking revenge against him for transferring her, news agency ANI reported.

The alleged assault incident has come a few days after a woman’s husband alleged that his wife’s confession to one of the accused priests was supposed to be a secret but was rather used to blackmail her.

He alleged that when his wife complaint to other priests, the accused threatened her and shared her details with fellow priests. Her husband also alleged that one of the priests even exploited her over 350 times.

“A priest had abused her (his wife) before the marriage. Later, when she confessed the pre-marital affair, that priest (who heard the confession) exploited her, threatening that he would reveal everything to me. Again, that priest handed over her to another priest, blackmailing her using the photographs,” her husband was quoted as saying in an audio clip, reported The Indian Express.

“In the complaint, the husband said one priest had abused his wife 380 times. Then, what they were doing until the figure reached 380. That is why the husband was not keen to move a police complaint,” Father M O John said. He added that there was nothing in the case which needs a police probe.

Following the calls for an investigation into the case of alleged assault of a woman by five Kerala priests, the state police on Friday, June 29, asked the Crime Branch to begin its probe.