Kochi: The church authorities are in a bid to rescue Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal facing sexual assault charges from a Missionaries of Jesus congregation nun.
On Sunday, an audiotape of conversation of a priest with another nun offering the "victim" 10 acres of land surfaced on the social media.
Fr James Erthayil of Kanjirappally diocese purportedly held the compromise talks on behalf of the bishop, which lasted for around 11 minutes, both alluring and intimidating.
He also tells the nun who had endorsed the allegations that the compromise talk is all with the knowledge of the Jalandhar bishop house.
He makes it clear that the offer would materialise if she withdraws the case.
DC learns Fr Erthayil had visited the convent thrice. Meanwhile, Kura-vilangad police recorded the statement of the nun on the this.
Vaikom DySP K. Subhash who is investigating the case said a case would be registered later.
“We have taken the statement of the nun, and it would be presented before the court on Monday," he told DC. "A case will be registered only after that.”
The nun, formerly the mother general of the congregation, had alleged in her complaint to the police that the bishop sexually abused her in May 2014 at Kuravilangad, when he came to attend a function and raped her 13 times over the next two years.
