Nun rape case: Kerala High Court rejects bail plea of former Bishop Franco Mulakkal

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of former Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar diocese, the accused in a rape case, as reported by news agency ANI.

Justice V Raja Vijayaraghavan observed that there exist pieces of evidence against the bishop, who is currently in judicial custody.

Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun in Kerala, was sent to judicial custody on September 24 to be kept till October 6. The order came from Pala Judicial Magistrate Court. The former Bishop was sent to a two-day police custody on September 22.

The state police, in its remand report, had said that Mulakkal came to the convent with the intention of sexually assaulting the victim. On May 5, 2014, he illegally confined her in room no. 20 of the guest house at around 10:48 pm and subjected her to unnatural sexual assault.

They had added that he threatened the victim of dire consequences if she ever revealed the incident. He raped her on the next day (May 6, 2014) as well.

Between 2014 to 2016, the victim was subjected to rape and unnatural sex for 13 times in the same room, said the report.

The former bishop was arrested on September 21 after three days of intense grilling by Kerala police. Franco Mulakkal has, however, refuted the allegations, terming them 'baseless and concocted'.

On September 20, Mulakkal, who was in charge of the Jalandhar diocese, was relieved of his pastoral duties by Pope Francis after he wrote to the Pope, expressing his desire to 'temporarily step aside' from the responsibilities of the diocese to fight his case.

Mulakkal is the first bishop in the country to be sent to jail on charges of rape.