Indian Bishop: Allegations of Sexual, Financial And Criminal Misconduct, Including Murder
His enemy, retired Bombay High Court Judge Michael Saldanha, told Jules Gomez (August 30) that two prelates - Bangalore Archbishop Bernard Moras and Bombay Cardinal Oswald Gracias - suppressed information about William's background when they recommended for an episcopal nomination. Last week, Saldanha sent all information to Francis.
As a chaplain (1993-1996), William was urged three (!) times to leave his positions after being accused of “misbehaviour with girls.” Then, he was sent to do a licentiate in canon law.
As a parish priest (1998-2003), he was accused of having fathered a child with an Anglo-Indian woman who was sent away. Similar stories about sexual scandals and misuse of church funds go on from 2003 to 2009 and after he was appointed rector of Mysore Cathedral (2009-2015).
In March 2011 a strange thing happened. A police officer attended an evening Eucharist in Mysore Cathedral. Afterwards, he asked a Cathedral guard why he was pouring out water on the steps of the Cathedral as people use to sit there in the evenings.
Rector William and a relative came by. William allegedly became aggressive and hit the officer's right eye with his fist threatening to kill him: “Who are you to question?” - he allegedly said.
The police officer was taken to hospital and his injury categorized as possibly fatal. A complaint was lodged against William. The police officer refused several attempts of Williams to solve the case out of court. Then, a bizarre twist: After Willam became a bishop, he hired the same police officer as his personal bodyguard.
As a bishop, William has been accused of murdering priests (sic!), kidnapping a 24-year-old married woman, fathering at least two children, having five mistresses and embezzling diocesan and charity funds.
In March 2021, a Vatican commission comprised of three bishops visited Mysore and received depositions from 120 individuals.
A 12-page dossier containing evidence of William's immoral conduct, false statements, unaccounted money and dubious expenditure was submitted to the commission in June 2021.
Two years ago, the Vatican ordered William to take a paternity test, but so far he has not complied.