BISHOP FRANCO SENT TO JUDICIAL CUSTODY TILL OCTOBER 6

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Franco Mullakal, the former Jalandhar Bishop arrested on charges of raping a nun, was on Monday sent to prison after the Kerala High Court deferred his bail application to Thursday. Earlier in the day, a Kottayam court remanded the former Bishop in jail till October 6.

Mullakal was arrested last week after being questioned by the police for three days.

Later in the day, sister of the nun who had filed the complaint against Mullakal has filed a fresh complaint claiming life threat to her family. “One of the bishop’s aides has threatened to kill my son and brother if something happens to him. We need protection,” she said in her complaint filed at the Kalaady police station and copies of which were sent to the state police chief and Kochi Commissioner.

In a related development, the church withdrew restrictions imposed on a nun for participating in the recent protest demanding the arrest of Mulakkal. Sister Lucy Kalapura, who returned to her parish in Waynad Sunday, was asked to keep away from all duties and activities related to the Syro Malabar catholic church. The decision to lift the ban on the nun was taken at a meeting of parish at the St Marys Church Karakkamala in the district Monday. A group of believers also protested in front of the parish hall, demanding withdrawal of action against the nun.

Kalapura said she was happy that the church lifted the ban on her. “It is a victory of justice”, she added. In June, the 43-yearold nun, also a mother superior, had complained to the police that Mullakkal had raped her 13 times between 2014 and 2016.