Kottayam(Kerala): A court here framed charges Thursday against former Bishop of Jalandhar Diocese, Franco Mulakkal. This is in the case where Franco Mulakkal is alleged to have raped a nun in Kerala.
The Additional Sessions Court Judge read out to Franco Mulakkal, who was present in the court, the charges under various sections of the IPC. The judge also told the Bishop about the punishment for offence for rape as the court commenced trial proceedings in the sensational case. The accused has denied the charges against him.
The case was posted for September 16 for the victim’s examination. Mulakkal He has been charged under various sections of IPC. Among them are 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 377 (Unnatural Sex), 376 (c)(a) Sexual intercourse by person in authority 376(2)(k) (indulging in sexual intercourse by exhorting authority), and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Last week, the Bishop was granted bail by the Court with stringent conditions. It directed him to be present on the dates of hearing of the case.
Earlier the Supreme Court had directed Mulakkal to face trial. It dismissed his plea seeking discharge in the rape case. The case has been lodged against him by the nun belonging to a congregation under Jalandhar diocese. The top court said there was no merit in Mulakkal’s petition.
Mulakkal, in his plea had challenged the July 7 Kerala High Court order, dismissing his discharge plea in the rape case filed by the nun. The High Court had asked the deposed Bishop of Jalandhar diocese to stand for trial.
The senior priest of the Roman Catholic Church had filed the revision petition following the dismissal of his discharge plea by a trial court in March this year. The rape case against the Bishop was registered by police in Kottayam district.
In her complaint to the police in June 2018, the nun had alleged that she was subjected to sexual abuse by the bishop during the period between 2014 and 2016. The bishop was arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) belonging to Kerala police.