Police raid nun rape accused Bishop Mulakkal's confidant

LUDHIANA: Khanna police on Friday raided the residence of Christian priest Father Anthony Madassery , a close aide of Kerala nun rape case accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal , Partapura on the outskirts of Jalandhar city. They detained six persons, including the priest and a woman, after recovering huge amount of cash from the premises.

DIG Ranbir Singh Khatra confirmed the development and added that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and income tax (I-T) department were informed as Father Anthony failed to explain the source of the money recovered. On the exact amount of the money recovered, he said it was being counted and he count not share the figure as yet. Police are said to have acted after a tip-off about cash. Police sources said that the whole operation that was monitored by senior officers in Chandigarh as teams of Khanna police landed up Partapura around Friday evening and carried out searches for several hours.

Sources claimed that certain incriminating documents were also recovered from the palatial house. An eyewitness, who did not want to give his name, said the police team was seen carrying away a few bags. He added that police detained the priest and took him and some other people with them.

Top police officials are expected to hold a press conference to share details of the case on Saturday morning. Police sources also claimed that Kerala Police, who are probing the rape case, have also been informed and a team may come to join the probe.

Sources in ED also confirmed said that the Khanna police had informed them about the operation and recovery of unaccounted money. They added that case had been referred to investigation wing of the I-T department.

Mulakkal had national hit headlines when in June 2018 a nun accused him of rape. The nun in Kerala alleged that she was raped by Bishop Mulakkal 13 times between 2014 and 2016 during his visits to a convent in Kottayam district in Kerala.