Kottayam, Feb 4, 2020: A court in Kottayam, Kerala, on February 4 adjourned the preliminary hearing on the objection filed by the prosecution on the discharge petition filed by Bishop Franco Mulakkal in the nun rape case to February 11.
Bishop Mulakkal, who is the accused in the case, did not appear before Additional District Court. His counsel sought time for hearing and Judge G Gopakumar adjourned the case.
The bishop’s counsel had filed the discharge petition on January 25. His counsel had argued that the offences leveled against him won’t stand and the case was based solely on the statement of case witness 1 who had a personal grudge against the bishop. The counsel also argued that most prosecution witnesses are not in good terms with the church.
The nun had on June 27, 2018, filed a complaint with the Kottayam police chief about the sexual abuse from 2014-2016. The next day, June 28, 2018, the statement of the nun was also recorded.
The chargesheet in the nun rape case was filed on April 9, 2019. Bishop Mulakkal, who faces charges of wrongful confinement, rape, unnatural sex and criminal intimidation in the case, can get life imprisonment or imprisonment of not less than 10 years if proved guilty.
Source: The Times of India