Kerala HC rejects rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal's plea seeking quashing of charges

The Kerala High Court has rejected the plea by Bishop Franco Mulakkal seeking to quash sexual assault charges against him. Justice V Shircy rejected his plea and directed him to stand trial in the case. Mulakkal had moved the HC after a trial court in Kottayam had dismissed his discharge plea in March. Earlier, Mulakkal had cited Coronavirus as a reason for not appearing before the trial court on July 1. Mulakkal had filed a discharge plea in the trial court in Kottayam, seeking to quash charges against him claiming that the rape survivor nun had implicated him after he took action against her for financial irregularities in the convent.

READ | Kerala Nun Rape Case 

What is the Kerala nun rape case?

Bishop Mulakkal has been accused of raping and forcing unnatural sex on the nun multiple times between 2014 and 2016. As the complainant came forward, nuns of the congregation came out in support for the victim, demanding CM Pinarayi Vijayan's intervention. After being arrested by the Kerala police, Mulakkal was later released by the Kerala High Court on an unconditional bail in October last year.

Back in January, sister Anupama had been at the forefront of the campaign against the rape accused, along with sister Alfie, sister Josephine, sister Ancitta and sister Nina Rose. They had expressed the church authorities' pressure to transfer them and splitting them up. The nuns also wrote a letter to the CM expressing how they feel unsafe and that the accused Bishop is powerful. 

Earlier in April, 2019,  Kerala Police had filed a chargesheet against Franco Mulakkal under various sections ranging from Punishment for wrongful confinement, Sexual intercourse by a person in authority to Carnal Intercourse against the order of nature. The entire charge sheet filed was 2000 pages long. Sources had told that if the charges against Franco Mulakkal is proven, he might get life imprisonment or imprisonment of not less than 10 years. 

READ | Kerala Nun Rape Case: Sister Lucy dismissed from church for protesting against accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal

READ | Kerala nun rape case: Victim alleges harassment by Mulakkal's aides