Nuns In Kerala Take To The Streets To Demand Arrest Of Rape Accused Jalandhar Bishop

With Kerala Police dragging its feet over the arrest of Franco Mullakal, the Bishop of Jalandhar, who is accused of raping a nun multiple times, a group of nuns in Kerala have launched a protest demanding his arrest.

The nuns took to the street in Kochi on Saturday demanding his arrest and justice to the rape victim.

They were joined by various Christian organizations in the protest.

¡°We are fighting for our sister. She has been denied justice by the Church, government and the police. Our only hope now is the court. We are ready to go to any extent for ensuring justice to our sister,¡± one of the protesting nuns said.

¡°It has been seventy four days since the complaint was filed against Bishop Franco. The police had recorded her statements several times. But accused Bishop was interrogated only once,¡± the nun alleged.

The Kerala Police had last month interrogated the Bishop, in Jalandhar, but despite claiming that there is evidence against him for rape, stopped short of arresting Mulakkal.

The complainant, a nun who is originally from Kerala but was posted in Jalandhar had accused that she was sexually abused by the Bishop 13 times between 2014 and 2016.

Ever since the police complaint was filed, there have been a number of allegations including intimidation and trying to silence the victim.

A priest who allegedly offered the victim and other compaliants money to settle the case has been asked to step down from his duties.

Bishop Mulakkal however continues to claim innocence and alleged that the allegations were made against him by the nun for taking disciplinary action against her for having an affair with a married man.