The Kerala state Minority Rights Commission has registered a case against the police for allegedly trying to sabotage the case on the rape charges levelled against Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal.

The commission has asked the State Police Chief Loknath Behera and Kochi Range IG Vijay S Sakhare to file a report at the earliest. The case was registered on the basis of news reports that the police was attempting to sabotage the case against the bishop, commission officials said.

The commission’s order has come at a time when public outrage is intensifying over the police’s alleged reluctance to arrest the bishop. Only yesterday, retired Kerala high court justice Kemal Pasha lashed out at the police and the government for not taking action against Mulakkal, accused of rape of a nun. He made the charge while visiting a protest taken out by five nuns of the Missionaries of Jesus against police inaction , near the Kerala High Court, seeking justice for their colleague, the rape survivor.

“I saw an announcement made by the DGP that they have reached the final stage of the investigation. Isn’t he ashamed to say this? It is a rape case. The accused should be presented in court. Let the prosecution present proof. But that’s not happening. What you see is a give and take policy between the police and the accused. They think that nuns are not capable of reacting,” Pasha said.

He added that  “any other individual in his place would have been arrested. He should be too, and presented before the court. Let him appeal for bail then. Our legal system should not stoop so low. I am expressing my solidarity with the hurt sister and let this be a fight for women’s survival. Let the society know their value and their power to react.”

—India Legal Bureau