Kerala Police Deliberately Shelved the Investigation in the Nun Rape Case

The Kerala police had already investigated in the offence of rape committed by Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal before the nuns took the protest on to the streets. The Statement of Fact submitted by K Subhash, DSP, Vaikom with regards to WP (C) No 26383/ 2018/ N of the Hon High Court of Kerala, on August 10, 2018, clearly remarks the following.

The Statement of Fact states, “During investigation so far conducted and the available evidence collected so far; it is revealed that the accused Bishop Franco committed an unnatural offence and committed rape repeatedly on different dates… on Sr Ranit against the will and consent of her by abusing his dominance over her as Bishop of Jalandhar after confining her in the guest room…”

It is worth pondering that why when Kerala police had reached on such conclusive evidence on August 10, 2018, itself, it took them one more month to realise that they should summon the accuse?

At last the Kerala police has sent summons to Bishop Franco to appear before the investigation team on September 19. The decision was taken after a high-level meeting of the police brass on September 12 in Kochi.

Was Kerala police acting under the dictates of Pinarayi Vijayan Government in shelving the case against Bishop Franco? When the Statement of Fact submitted by the Kerala Police DSP found Bishop Franco guilty of committing an unnatural offence and committing rape repeatedly on different dates during May 6, 2014, to September 23, 2016, why the decision to summon the accuse was shelved for a month? Was Kerala police’s late call was only compelled when the Nuns took the matter on the streets and media grabbed the attention?

Many questions are to be answered in this case. What is visible is the deliberate police inaction in summoning the accused for further investigation and booking for the serious crime.