Court cancels bail to Franco Mulakkal in Kerala rape case
THIRUVANANTHPURAM/JALANDHAR: A special court in Kerala on Monday cancelled the bail granted to former Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal, who is accused of raping a nun, and issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him.
Public prosecutor Jithesh Babu alleged that Mulakkal was trying to delay the proceedings by providing incorrect reasons to avoid appearance in the court.
The Bishop was not present in the court on Monday claiming that he was under home quarantine after coming in contact with his lawyer, who has tested Covid-19 positive.
Mulakkal had failed to appear before the court during the previous hearing on July 1 as well. His counsel had submitted that he was stuck in a Covid-19 containment zone in Punjab. However, the prosecution on Monday alleged that Mulakkal’s place of residence in Jalandhar was not a containment zone.
The Court cancelled his bail, considering the prosecution argument that the accused was trying to delay the trial and posted the case for August 13.
“Mulakkal had cited flimsy reasons to avoid his personal appearance many times. His men also tried to intimidate some of the witnesses . ... he was challenging the judicial system of the country,” said Felix J Pulludan, convenor of Save Our Sisters, an organisation floated during protests against Mulakkal.