Kerala Court has summoned Bishop Franco Mulakkal who will be facing a trial November 11 onward. The charges against him will be read out in the court. This comes on a day a nun has lodged a complaint was lodged by a nun with the Kerala Women’s Commission alleging mental harassment in connection with the case concerning rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who is accused of raping a 44-year-old nun.
In her complaint, the nun has alleged that Mulakkal and his men are using social media platforms in order to defame her. She said the videos put up on social media platforms shows some photographs of the rape victim.
“The videos are intended to disrespect, abuse, intimidate and influence the witness, victim and the investigation team,” the complainant said.
Reportedly, the aggrieved nun stated that such actions are a violation of the bail conditions laid down by the Kerala High Court and sought intervention from the state women commission in the matter.
Franco Mulakkal, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar, was accused of raping a 44-year-old nun at a guest house in Kuravilangad in May 2014 and subsequent sexual exploitations afterwards. The nun had registered a complaint on June 2018 and has also claimed that despite her complaints, the church took no action on the bishop.
In July, Sister Anupama, one of the five nuns who led the protests against Bishop Franco last year, had alleged that there are efforts being carried out to sabotage evidence to protect rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal.
In a bid to silence the protesting nurse, the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) had written to the family of another protesting nun – Sister Lucy Kalapurakkal to take her back home after she was expelled from the congregation. Sister Lucy Kalapurakkal had last year supported the victim nun and had demanded the arrest of rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who headed the Roman Catholic Diocese in Jalandhar.
The four nuns who had supported the rape survivor nun were asked to leave the Kuravilangad convent, and go to convents, previously assigned to them. Apart from threats and intimidation, Father Kuriakose who had testified against Bishop Franco was found dead under mysterious circumstances.
Note: The report has been updated with latest information.
