Kerala nun rape case: Court rejects Franco Mulakkal's bail application, sent to police custody

Kottayam, Sep 22: Former Bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal, sent to police custody till 24 September. His bail application has been dismissed on Saturday.

Police in its remand report on Kerala nun rape case stated that Franco Mulakkal came to the convent with the intention of sexually assaulting the victim. On 5 May 2014, he illegally confined her in room no. 20 of the guest house at around 10:48 pm & subjected her to unnatural sexual assault

Earlier, the Kerala Police filed for three days custody of former Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal on Saturday. Lawyer of Mulakkal didn't oppose the custody.

Lawyer of former Franco Mulakkal has also filed a bail application, the hearing will resume at the magistrate court in Kottayam's Pala at 2:30 pm today.

Mulakkal's lawyer put forward a condition that Mulakkal's blood samples and saliva must not be taken without his permission citing that it can be misused.

Bishop Franco Mulakkal was hospitalised on Friday evening after he complained of chest pain when he was being taken to Kottayam Police club from the Crime Branch office in Thrippunithura in Ernakulam district.

Bishop Mulakkal, who is accused of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a nun, was discharged later. Mulakkal's medical check-up was done at the Government Taluk Hospital in Thrippunithura Friday night, immediately after his arrest.

The police will present the Bishop before the court today.

A day before Pope Francis temporarily relieved Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal of his pastoral responsibilities, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI). Mulakkal had on September 16 written to the Pope offering to "step aside temporarily" as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese, Kerala Catholic Bishops Council spokesman Fr Varghese Vallikkattu said.

The nun has accused the senior Catholic priest of sexually assaulting her repeatedly between 2014 and 2016, allegations denied by the clergyman who has pleaded innocence