Kerala Nun Rape Case: Bishop Franco Mulakkal to appear before Kerala Police for interrogation

Update at 11:30 am: Security beefed up outside the convent where the victim nun lives

Update at 11:30 am: A government Doctor along with a psychologist is also inside the building where the investigation is ongoing

Update at 10:56 am: Rape-accused Bishop of Jalandhar Franco Mulakkal arrives at crime branch office at Kochi

Update at 10:56 am: Investigation officer Dy SP Subash arrives at crime branch office to interrogate Bishop Franco Mulakkal

Update at 10:15 am: A five-member team to quiz rape-accused Bishop of Jalandhar Franco Mulakkal

Update at 10:15 am: Security beefed up in crime branch office where Bishop will be questioned

Update at 10:15 am: Interrogation to take place at crime branch office of Trippunitara Kochi

As the Nun's protest in Kerala entered its 11th day on Wednesday, rape-accused Bishop of Jalandhar Franco Mulakkal will appear before the Kerala police for an interrogation at 10:00 am. The Nuns have claimed that they will continue their hunger strike till the Bishop is arrested. Earlier on Tuesday,  Kerala High Court adjourned the bail plea of Bishop to 25th September as he had filed an anticipatory bail application in Kerala High Court. In the anticipatory bail plea, the Bishop stated that he is ready to cooperate with the probe but that the investigating team must refrain from arresting him.

Read: Kerala Nun Rape Case | 'The Case Is In Favour Of The Victim,' Say Top Police Sources

Meanwhile, police sources revealed the details of August questioning of the accused Bishop. The Police sources have told Republic TV that over 15 contradictions were made by Bishop Franco in his earlier statement to police. The main and glaring of them are:

• Bishop Franco has told police that on 5th may, 2014, the first day that the complainant alleged that rape took place, he was not in Kuruvilangad mission home, where the crime took place but was instead in the neighbouring district of Idukki
• Statement of mother superior of the Idukki mission home and the statement of Bishop Franco's personal driver contradict this statement
• Furthermore, the visitor's register at Kuruvilangad home, as well as 2 other nuns who were present there, confirm his presence there to the police
• The complainant has alleged that on 13 instances she was sexually assaulted by Bishop Franco but in his interrogation, Franco has admitted to having visited the Kuruvilgad home just 9 times, again a claim contradicted by the visitor's register

Father Franco Mulackal is not new in controversy. When he was Father in Trinity College near Church Nagar in Jalandhar, he was also roped in the investigation of Father Mark Barnes death which took place in Amritsar in 2005. Anne Wakeling, the sister of the deceased father, filed a case in Punjab and Haryana High Court against 12 people including the then Franco Trinity college. It was a case of vandalism of Father body Amritsar. A case was registered under section 295/295-A/297 IPC civil lines Amritsar.  However, the then father Franco Mulackal had also filed a petition in the court against father sister in the high court.