Kottayam: Rape accused Roman Catholic Bishop Franco Mulakkal released on bail ,in Kottayam on Tuesday , October 16, 2018. (PTI File photo) Kottayam: Rape accused Roman Catholic Bishop Franco Mulakkal released on bail ,in Kottayam on Tuesday , October 16, 2018. (PTI File photo)

The Punjab Police Saturday claimed to have recovered Rs 9.66 crore of hawala money from six men, including a church priest, who were arrested Friday night. The cash was being transported to Ambala in three cars Friday night.

The priest, Father Anthony, belongs to Diocese of Jalandhar, and is a close aide of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who is facing allegations of raping a nun.

“It is unaccounted money. There are no documents to prove how it was collected,” Khanna SSP Dhruv Dahiya said.

However, Jalandhar Diocese spokesperson Peter Kavumpuram claimed that the cash, which was recovered by police, was not black money. “There is nothing to hide. We have bills, which will be submitted (to the relevant authorities). It is not black money,” the spokesperson claimed.

SSP Dahiya said the cash, the three vehicles and the arrested accused have been handed over to the Income Tax and the Enforcement Directorate officials for further investigation.

Meanwhile, Punjab Christian Movement (PCM) president Hamid Masih told the reporters that he had in the past filed a complaint against Father Mullakkal and some others for making huge transactions of money.

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