Five clergymen allegedly took sexual advantage of a member of a laity

The Crime Branch (CB) of the Kerala Police on Friday opened a preliminary inquiry into the allegation that five clergymen of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church had taken sexual advantage of a member of the laity after allegedly threatening to expose her confessional secrets.

State police chief Loknath Behera had ordered the CB probe on a complaint filed by Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) chairperson V.S. Achuthanandan. The National Commission for Women had also flagged up the issue with the State’s law enforcement.

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CB investigators said they would question the woman’s husband, who had raised the matter with the church authorities. An ecclesiastical inquiry was on into the scandal that appeared to have rocked the Malankara Church.

Officers said they would also record the statement of the alleged victim. The 36-year-old mother of two children was now at her parent’s house. Her husband had raised the accusations initially on his Facebook account and then later with the church elders.

Investigators said they would register a criminal case only if their inquiry revealed a cognizable offence.