Rape charge: Kerala police to summon Jalandhar Bishop
Kerala Police are planning to summon the Bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mullakkal, for questioning even as the 43-year-old nun, who has accused him of sexual assault, recorded her statement before a court in Kottayam district on Thursday.
In a four-hour statement before Thriruvalla first-class judicial magistrate, the nun reiterated her charges and said she had enough evidence to prove the assault. The investigating team had, earlier, moved an application in court to record her statement under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure .
A senior officer of the police team said her statement was recorded before a court to avoid retraction. He added that the bishop was likely to be arrested. Previously, the police had even planned to send a team to Jalandhar to question the accused, but he expressed his readiness to appear before the team when required.
A section of the church is making efforts to placate the nun, but she has maintained that she will go ahead with the case. “We are under tremendous pressure to withdraw the case, but will not budge. There should be an end to such unhealthy practices,” said the brother of the nun, adding the whole family will stand by her.
The nun, also a mother superior, had complained to the police last week. She had alleged that Mullakkal raped her 13 times between 2014 and 2106. She is a member of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation based in Punjab, which runs two convents in Kerala. She was heading one of the convents at Kuravilanagad in Kottayam.
In her complaint, she alleged that the bishop had raped her in the convent.