Kottayam: Former Bishop of Jalandhar Diocese Franco Mulakkal on Friday was acquitted from all charges in the nun rape case, the Additional Sessions Court said in the verdict of the sensational nun rape case.
After a trial that lasted for more than 100 days, Judge G Gopakumar pronounced the verdict. The bishop left the court premises soon after the verdict came out. He didn’t react the questions of the media persons. “Praise the Lord,” he said with folded hands.
The police had intensified the security within and outside the court premises ahead of the verdict.
Bomb squads and dog squads conducted a search on the court premises earlier today.
The former bishop reached the court shortly after 9.30am. The case against the then Bishop was registered by the Kottayam police in 2018. Trial in the case had started in November 2019.
In 2018, a Missionaries of Jesus’ nun had accused Franco of raping her multiple times at the Kuruvilangadu convent in Kottayam. The FIR in the case was registered in June 2018. Then after protests, Franco was arrested on September 21, 2018.
The chargesheet in the case was submitted in April 2019. In the chargesheet, Bishop Franco Mullakal has been charged under various sections of the IPC: 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 (2k) (rape on a woman incapable of giving consent), 376 (2n) (causing grievous bodily harm during rape), 376 (c) (a) 377 (unnatural offence) and 506 (1) (criminal intimidation). Mulakkal, who was arrested on September 21, 2018 on rape charges, got bail on October 16, 2018.
Save Our Sisters Forum, fighting for justice for the nun who has accused the Bishop of raping her several times between 2014-2016, has alleged police lapse in a separate case not being filed based on this witness nun’s statement. However, police sources claim that they did not file a separate case based on this nun’s revelations because she was unwilling to do so, and instead made her the 14th witness in the case.
In June 2018, Bishop Franco was the head of the Jalandar diocese in Punjab when the nun accused him of raping her 13 times between 2014 and 2016. The Bishop’s legal team, which requested that the proceedings be held behind closed doors to protect his reputation, fired the first salvo by questioning the delay in filing the complaint. According to the prosecution, they questioned the legitimacy of the complaint saying it should have been filed immediately after the alleged incident.
Congrats bishop your for truth god is with you 🙏
As it is said dear Bishop, ” truth always prevails ” may the Lord give you the strength to pursue your spiritual mission more vehemently.
Albert Joachim