The hearing in the case against Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a Kerala nun, will begin from November 11. The Kerala police have handed over the court summons to Mulakkal in Jalandhar asking him to appear before the Kottayam Additional District Sessions Court in Kerala on November 11.
Meanwhile, the victim nun has filed a fresh complaint alleging online harassment by Mulakkal and his supporters. In her complaint to the Kerala Women’s Commission, she claimed Mulakkal is using social media platforms to defame her, the Indian Express reported. She also alleged that Mulakkal and his supporters were circulating videos identifying her.
The nun said Mulakkal’s actions were in violation of the bail conditions laid down by the Kerala High Court and sought the state women commission’s intervention in the matter. Mulakkal, who is still serving as the bishop in Jaladhar, was granted bail last year in October , after being in custody for almost a month. The bail was issued on conditions, including asking the bishop not to enter Kerala after his release from the sub-jail in Kottayam and to surrender his passport. Mulakkal has also been asked to present himself before the police every fortnight. He also has to appear before the probe officials as and when requested by them.
In her complaint to the Kottayam police in June, the nun had alleged that the priest raped her at a guest house at Kuravilangad in Kottayam between May 2014 and 2016. She said she had approached the police as the Church authorities did not act on her repeated complaints against the clergyman. However, the bishop has denied the charges.
