Kerala Bishop accused of raping a nun, Franco Mulakkal, has been granted conditional bail by a court on Monday. Though, the bail has bee given to him with certain conditions attached.
- His passport has also been taken away
- He has been barred from communicating with the family of the complainant
- He must report to the Investigating Officer every two weeks
This was Bishop Franco’s second attempt at getting bail. Earlier in September, his first attempt for bail was quashed by the court, and he was sent to judicial custody till October 6 by Pala Judicial Magistrate Court. Last week, further woe awaited Bishop Franco as a Kerala court extended his judicial custody till October 20.
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He was arrested by the police on September 21, 87 days after a complaint was filed against him. It was preceded by three days of grilling by the Investigative agencies, and it was followed by a medical examination.
According to reports, the bishop denied all the charges against him and remained elusive and vague during the course of interrogation. The Police demanded brief answers from the bishop for every question, however, he stated that he could not recollect his exact whereabouts.
The Bishop has been constant in his denial to the rape victim nun’s allegations, who accused her of rape between 2014 and 2016. He had even filed an anticipatory bail in the Kerala High Court, which was deferred to September 25.
There is the number of evidence which led to the arrest of the Bishop.
The medical report of the aggrieved nun from Kottayam medical college hospital
The evidence produced by the nun at the Changanassery Court regarding the date and time of the incident
Evidence that proved that the bishop was accompanied by the nun during the period mentioned in her statement, however, the Bishop contended the statements
Messages the Bishop had sent through mobile to the nun between 2014 and 2015
Statements by other nuns and priests in the congregation against the Bishop
Statements by the priests in the Attappady retreat center regarding the Nun’s absolution during 2016 March