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Updated October 22nd, 2018 at 17:58 IST

Kerala Nun rape case: ‘He said he feared for his life when the Bishop would get bail,’ alleges brother of Jalandhar priest Father Kuriakose Kattuthara

Key witness in the Kerala nun rape case Father Kuriakose Kattuthara of Jalandhar Diocese was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his residence on Monday morning. Now, the brother of the deceased, Jose Kattuthara has made stunning allegations against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal and his supporters.

Reported by: Shatabdi Chowdhury
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Key witness in the Kerala nun rape case Father Kuriakose Kattuthara of Jalandhar Diocese was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his residence on Monday morning. Now, the brother of the deceased, Jose Kattuthara has made stunning allegations against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal and his supporters. While speaking exclusively to Republic TV that Father Kuriakose Kattuthara was tortured physically and mentally for speaking against the Bishop.

“Father had conducted a Press Conference. Even before the PC he faced problems, they had been sidelining him because of this problem. These Sisters used to confess before the Father about their problem. Because of this they were against the Father. Even the Rs. 500 they used to give to the Father was denied to him. They had enmity against him. They tortured him mentally and physically, they sent goons to intimidate him. When the Father had given an interview to a media channel, the Bishop directly went to the church and tried to intimidate others and showed goondaism. When Father gave a statement to the Police against the Bishop, they destroyed his house,” said the deceased Father’s brother.

Jose Kattuthara has also levelled startling allegations on the Bishop, saying he is a ‘goonda’.

“They stoned his office, other Priests who are his close associates also indulged in Goondaism. The last when he spoke to me, my brother said that he feared for his life when the Bishop would get bail. He is not a Bishop he is a Goonda. Bishop and his associates are indulging in Goondaism. The Bishop was like this even before he became a Bishop.  He is not fit to be a Bishop. My brother even said that his phone calls were being tapped by the Bishop and the Bishop. He asked me to be careful while talking on phone, he said that Bishop gets to know the content of all my conversations. Only goondaism is going on there, last time when Police went there to investigate, the associates fo the Bishop even manhandled media persons,” said Jose Kattuthara.

READ | Kerala Nun Rape Case: Key Witness Father Kuriakose Kattuthara Found Dead In Jalandhar

Casting aspersions on the probe in the case, the brother of the deceased Father, Kuriakose Kattuthara, said that the post mortem was carried out without informing the family first.

“They started the post mortem without informing us and we have not even reached there. Thus, there is something fishy about this. They are definitely hiding something. if it is not then why would they want to wind up so fast. They informed us in the morning but did not tell us the whole matter and what the issue is. They are informing us because we are his relatives, so then why can't they wait and will they want to do the post mortem without informing us. Thus, they are cheating us. The CM should intervene and his body should be brought back. I don't have any trust in the punjab police we want the the body to be brought to kerala. Thus, CM should provide all possible help for us,” said Jose Kattuthara.

READ | Kerala Nun Rape Case: Jalandhar Diocese Issues A Statement Over The Death Of Key Witness Fr. Kuriakose Kattuthara

Jose Kattuthara has also written a letter to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, asking his intervention in the case and to take necessary legal steps in the matter. In the letter, too, the brother claimed that the priest was repeatedly threatened by persons close to the Bishop.

“My brother Fr Kuriakose Kattuhara was repeatedly threatened by persons close to the Bishop and damaged a car and threw stones towards his house at Jalandhar and all these matters are complaint to the Police Officials at Jalandhar,” he wrote in the letter.

Father Kuriakose Kattuthara of Jalandhar Diocese was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his residence. The sexagenarian priest had in recent past given a statement against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal. Father Kuriakose had alleged that he had been tortured by Franco Mulakkal for filing a complaint.

The rape accused, Bishop Franco Mulakkal was granted a conditional bail on October 15, following which he received a hero's welcome in Jalandhar on the very next day. This was the Bishop's second attempt to get the bail.

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Published October 22nd, 2018 at 17:54 IST

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