New Delhi: Pope Francis was closely monitoring the Kerala nun rape case involving Bishop Franco Mulakkal and was awaiting the results of the police investigation, the Catholic Bishop's Conference of India (CBCI) said Tuesday.

The Indian priests, who are in Vatican for a Synod, had held talks with the Vatican cardinals including, secretary of state Pietro Parolin.

Indian representatives, including Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, were part of the delegation that met the Vatican officials, the CBCI in a statement released on Tuesday said. The Indian cardinals reiterated their belief in the country's judicial system and also said they were sure that truth would emerge.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias said that the Vatican was with the Indian faithfuls.

Bishop Mulakkal has been accused of repeated rape by the Kerala-based nun of the Missionaries of Jesus Congregation of the Jalandhar diocese. He has denied the charges.

Mulakkal had on September 16 written a letter to 'step aside temporarily' as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese, following which the Pope appointed Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Bombay Agnelo Rufino Gracias as the Apostolic administrator.

The bishop is currently lodged in a sub-jail in Pala.

In her complaint to the Kottayam Police in June, the nun had alleged that bishop Mulakkal had raped her at a guest house in Kuravilangad in May, 2014, and subsequently, sexually exploited her on several occasions.

The nun had said she had to approach the police as the church authorities did not act on her repeated complaints against the clergyman. She had also written an open letter to the Pope.

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