Kerala bishop gets bail in rape case

Kottayam: 2 days after the Supreme Court dismissed the petition registered by previous Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal seeking to discharge him within the Kerala(KL) nun rape complaint, he surfaced in court here on Fri. & secured bail.

The Kottayam Extra Sessions Court had released a non-bailable warrant over him past month & postponed his own previously bail within the complaint after he failed to appear in the court to hear the charge sheet within the complaint being readout.

However with Mulakkal creating a personal appearance in the court on Fri., he has been granted new bail & has been informed not to leave Kottayam until Aug 13 when the charge sheet would be readout.

The previous bishop reported the court that he failed to appear past month on account(a/c) of him checking COVID positive.

In Mar, a court here had dismissed the discharge petition registered by Mulakkal within the sexual assault complaint, enforcing him to reach the apex court, that too changed down his own appeal.

Mulakkal has been detained on Sep 21, 2018, on rape charges, & he secured bail on Oct 16, 2018. The Kerala(KL) Police has registered a 1,400-page charge sheet over him.

The charge sheet names 83 testifies, involving the Cardinal of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, March George Alencherry, 3 bishops, 11 priests & multiple nuns.

After the complaint had come to light, Mulakkal has been eliminated as head of the Jalandhar diocese.