Charge sheet against accused Kerala Bishop soon

Kottayam (Kerala) March 16 (IANS) A top Kerala Police officer has assured a group of nuns that the charge sheet against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of repeatedly raping a nun over several years, will be ready in three to four days, one of the nuns said.

Sister Anupama along with three other nuns, who have been the biggest moral support to the victim and to the key witness, on Saturday told the media that the Kottayam Superintendent of Police has assured them that the charge sheet would be submitted next week.

"We gave a memorandum to the police stating the trials and tribulations faced by the witnesses in the case. We brought up the issue that the charge sheet has not yet been filed.

"He assured that it would be done in three to four days time," said Sister Anupama.

"We also told the officer that they should not forced to re-launch their protest on the streets.

"Franco is powerful, both politically and monetarily and hence the witnesses are under tremendous duress," added Anupama.

In February, the four nuns, who were presently attached to the Kuruvilangad Convent, were transferred to four different places in the country.

However, the church had to reverse the transfer orders after they organised a one day sit in protest.

All the four nuns were witnesses in the case against the former Bishop of the Jalandhar diocese, Mulakkal, accused of sexually assaulting a nun repeatedly between 2014 and 2016.

Mulakkal was arrested on September 21, 2018 on rape charges after the four nuns joined a public protest in Kochi that forced the police to take strong action against the bishop.

Mulakkal had secured bail on October 16, 2018 and is now back in Punjab, but is no longer the diocesan head.