Kerala nun rape case: Another nun accuses Bishop Franco Mulakkal for passing sexually coloured, lewd remarks on her

One more Kerala nun on Friday accused former Bishop of Jalandhar, Franco Mulakkal, of sexual exploitation. The nun is the 14th witness in the rape case against Franco Mulakkal, who is out on bail in a case of sexually assulting a nun between 2014 and 2016.

In her statement, the nun claimed that between 2015 and 2017, they had talked over phone on many occasions and the Bishop made sexually coloured and lewd remarks. She claimed that the Bishop used to "make video calls and talk about sex".

The nun further stated that she at no time told anyone about the incident as she was afraid of the Bishop and being ejected from the convent.

Calling to mind an incident that happened in 30th April, 2017, the nun stated that when the Bishop paid a visit to the convent and spoke to her in his room, "he hugged and kissed her on her forehead". This nun is also from the missionaries of Jesus congregation.

According to police sources the witness was not ready to lodge a complaint against the Bishop

"After getting the witness statement, they had alerted the jurisdictional police about it but when the team met her, she refused to file a complaint,” a police official said.

“There is at least one more nun who has given a statement of sexual assault against the Bishop,” the police source added.

Franco Mulakkal who was taken into custody on 21st September, 2018 on rape charges, got bail on 16th October, 2018. the Kerala Police has filed a 1,400 page chargesheet against him.

The chargesheet mentions 83 witnesses, which includes the Cardinal of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Mar George Alencherry, three bishops, 11 priests and a number of nuns. After the case was brought to notice, Mulakkal was ousted as head of the Jalandhar parish.

Franco Mulakkal had lodged a discharge plea, to which the prosecution had filed an objection an the case will be heard on Saturday.

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