Kottayam, Jan 26, 2020: In a move seen as a tactic to delay the trial proceedings of the nun rape case, accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar has filed a discharge petition in the court.
The petition was filed on January 25 by the bishop’s counsel to Judge Gopakumar of Additional District Court in Kottayam, Kerala.
Bishop Mulakkal is accused of sexually assaulting a member of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation multiple times between 2014 and 2016.
The bishop, who is on bail, filed the discharge petition, asking to relieve him from the accused list without facing the trial. The reason cited by the counsel is that the charges in the case will not stand against the bishop as the case was only based on the statements of witnesses who have resentment against him.
The counsel also stated that most witnesses against him in the case do not have a good relationship with the Church.
The court will consider the discharge petition on February 4. The same court had denied Bishop Mulakkal’s earlier plea seeking more time in the case.
The bishop had been playing different tactics to delay the commencement of trails. The trial has already been postponed multiple times. It was supposed to commence on November 11, 2019, initially but was adjourned to November 30. But according to reports, when the case was considered on November 30, the bishop extended his bail. Recently, when the case was considered on January 6, he approached the court asking for more time.
Bishop Mulakkal, who was arrested on September 21, 2018, on rape charges, got bail on October 16, 2018. The Kerala Police have filed a chargesheet against him that names 83 witnesses, including Cardinal George Alencherry, head of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Witnesses in the case have alleged that they were being threatened not to give statements against the bishop. Sister Lissy Vadakkel, one of the prime witnesses in the case, had said she was being constantly threatened to change her statement against the bishop.
The 55-year-old bishop is charged under sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 (2)(k) (rape on a woman incapable of giving consent), 376 (2n) (causing grievous bodily harm during rape), 376 (c) (a) 377 (unnatural offence), 506 (1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. If proven guilty, the charges could attract life imprisonment or a minimum punishment of not less than 10 years.
Source: thenewsminute.com