A KERALA COURT ACQUITTED FORMER BISHOP FRANCO MULAKKA IN A RAPE CASE

The Additional Sessions Judge, G Gopakumar Kottayam of Kerala, acquitted Franco Mulakka, former Bishop of the Jalandhar Diocese, for repeatedly raping a Nun in Kerala.

In 2018, the nun approached higher officials in the church with severe accusations against Franco, who was then a senior priest. However, she received no answer. In June 2018, when Franco was the head of the Jalandhar diocese in Punjab, the nun complained to the Kottayam District Police, accusing Mulakkal of raping her thirteen times between 2014-2016. Subsequently, the SIT probed the case and arrested Franco. In September 2020, the trial began at the request of Mulakkal's counsel. 

Mulakkal moved to the Sessions Court for a discharge, without facing trial, under the CrPc, on the ground that he was falsely implicated. This application was dismissed in March 2020. Mulakkal then moved to the HC by filing a revision petition against the lower court's order, which the HC also dismissed. In August 2020, the Top Court repeated the High Court's ruling. 

The trial at the lower court had ceased after the survivor's examination. Franco prayed that the cross-examination was deferred until after the pandemic.

Author Papiha Ghoshal