After land scams, sex scandals are now haunting Christian churches in Kerala.

The halo around the Christian clergy is fading as, in a first, a nun filed a police complaint in Kottayam alleging sexual abuse by a Catholic bishop.

In another such incident, a woman alleged that four Orthodox priests blackmailed and sexually abused her after she confessed to having a premarital affair with a priest.

According to the complaint lodged at the Kuravilangad police station, a 46-year-old nun, who was a Mother Superior in a convent, alleged that Latin Catholic Bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal, had raped her in the convent guest house 13 times between 2014 and 2016.

According to Kottayam Superintendent of Police Hari Sankar, investigation is progressing and Vaikom Deputy Superintendent of Police K Subhash has been assigned to investigate the case.

"We are investigating two cases -- one case related to the complaint lodged by the nun against the bishop and another complaint lodged by the bishop against the nun and her family members threatening to kill him ," Hari Sankar told India Today.

"The victim has undergone medical examination and forensic experts have been directed to conduct to collect evidences related to the case," the police officer added.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN

The case has put the Catholic church on the back foot as the nun had lodged a complaint with the church authorities, including those in Rome, in January 2017 against the bishop.

The rape survivor had also met Cardinal of Syro-Malabar Church George Alencherry about the misdeeds of the bishop.

The accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, however, has alleged that the rape survivor framed him in a false case after she was removed from the post of Mother Superior.

Other than the complainant, four other nuns in the convent gave statements to the police that they were aware about the sexual misadventures of the bishop who visited the convent frequently.

The rape survivor has provided cyber evidences, including the messages she had received from the bishop. The police have also collected evidences of the bishop's visit to the convent.

"The Kerala Catholic Church is facing a crisis and its image has been damaged in the past two years. It started with shady land deals in which none other than the church head Cardinal George Alencherry was accused. Now, it's a bishop raping a nun repeatedly. The church covered it for more than a year. The case will put the church in bad light," A Jayashanker, a lawyer, told India Today.

Father Paul Thelakat, former spokesperson of the Syro-Malabar Church, too, expressed his concern about the case at a time when Pope Francis is trying to create transparency in the church administration and seeking justice for the survivors of sexual abuse by the clergy.

"I'm not privy to the details of the crime. But the church stands for the survivors. Let the police make a fair investigation and find the truth. The news is disheartening and is a challenge for the church," Father Thelakat told India Today.

WHEN PRIESTS TURN PREDATORS

Meanwhile, in another case four priests of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church harassing and sexually abusing a married woman after she confessed about her premarital sexual affair with a priest is under scanner.

The Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, which is the most influential church in Kerala with immense political clout, delayed the investigation of the matter for more than a year despite the complaint of sexual harassment of the woman filed by her husband.

The police received the complaint in mid-June this year and still no action was taken. It was only after former chief minister VS Achuthanandan raised the issue that the police transferred the case to the crime branch and Inspector General of Police S Sreejith was assigned to probe.

Now, the four priests are under scanner and the survivor's statement has been recorded.

"The case is under investigation and we are planning to question the accused," Inspector General Sreejith told India Today.

"It seems that the Christian clergy is going through a bad time. Sexual abuses within the church fold and outside will damage the church forever," Dr Sebastian Paul , former member of Lok Sabha told India Today.