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Kochi: After narrowly escaping from criminal case in the alleged land fraud case, Syro Malabar Catholic Church head in Kerala cardinal Mar George Allenchery is facing another grave allegations of protecting an alleged rapist Bishop.

If the allegations raised by a 44 year old nun turns out to be cognizable, the Cardinal Allenchery might become a co-accused in the case for abetting the crime.

The nun alleged that the archbishop sat on a rape complaint lodged against the Bishop of Jalandhar diocese for the last six months.

As the Bishop failed to take action, she was forced to approach the Superintendent of Police Harishankar of Kottayam against the 54-year-old bishop.

The nun alleged that she was raped by the Bishop of Jalandhar at Kochi in May, 2014.

She said she was raped during the meeting of Bishops in Kochi. The Bishop had arrived at the venue and she was assigned to take him to his room at about 10.45 pm.

The Bishop requested her to get his gown ironed. As she was about to leave after ironing the gown, the Bishop grabbed her and forced her to have sex with him, she told a TV channel.

She was threatened by the Bishop of serious consequences if she reported the matter to anyone. Since then the Bishop raped her 13 times until 2016.

Thereafter she refused to budge to his desires. Following this he started harassing her through different means and it became very difficult to comtinue in the diocese.

It was under these circumstances, she lodged a complaint with the major archbishop cardinal Allenchery.

The Bishop came close to be booked in the land deal allegations a few months back after High Court Judge B Kemal Pasha directed police to register an FIR against him on charges of alleged financial irregularities in selling church land.

This directive was quashed by the Chief Justice Antony Dominic leading to war of words between judges siding Justice Pasha and Justice Dominic both of whom have retired.

Meanwhile, Reji Njellani, convener, Kerala Catholic Church Reformation Movement, told The Covai Post that the allegation is very serious and could create problems for the Cardinal.

But the nun would have to produce evidences for all the allegations.

He said it is high time for the church to lift ban on priests of Syro Malabar church getting married.