By Matters India Reporter
Kochi: High drama marked the first day of Bishop Franco Mulakkal’s appearance before police in Kerala on September 19 for interrogation in connection with a rape case.
The interrogation lasted seven hours from at 11 am at a high tech police office in Thripunithura, some 10 km east of Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala.
During the interrogation Bishop Mulakkal, who is accused of sexually abusing a nun multiple times, claimed that he was innocent. The prelate alleged that the nun had filed the complaint because of personal vengeance.
The bishop reportedly told the investigating team that he hadn’t visited the Kuravilangad convent on the day the sexual assault took place. It is in Kuravilangadu, a predominantly Catholic village some 50 km southeast of Kochi, where the prelate’s accuser lives.
Though he visited the convent on May 5, 2014, he never stayed there. The nun alleged that was the day when the first incident of rape occurred.
A top Kerala Police officer told media said there was no restriction on his arrest.
“We are under no pressure. We have conducted a detailed probe which was spread across five different states. There has been no directive that the bishop should not be arrested,” said Kottayam Superintendent Harishankar.
The bishop was accompanied by his counsel and a few priests from his Jalandhar diocese. They arrived in a car hoodwinking waiting reporters and local people who had lined up at possible routes of the bishop’s travel.
Most media persons followed a luxury car of the bishop’s brother whereas the prelate came to the interrogation venue in a smaller car.
Although he was asked to report for the interrogation at 10 am, the prelate arrives an hour later.
The police ensured that the media could not get close to him or even take his picture.
However, some television channels managed to get glimpses of the prelate getting out the car and going inside the building. Similarly he was shown hurriedly entering a waiting car after the interrogation.
Police said the interrogation would continue on September 20.
The bishop on September 18 got a relief from the Kerala High Court which agreed to hear his anticipatory bail plea on September 25.
Bishop Mulakkal was questioned by a police team on August 11at his Jalandhar office.
According to the police, Tripunithura was chosen as the venue to avoid a protest by some Catholics for the bishop’s arrest started 12 days gao.
The nuns’ supporters marched in solidarity with the nuns.
Actor-director Joy Mathew launched the protest march that drew large number of women. Police blocked the protesters with barricades in front of the Inspector General’s office.