Kerala nun rape case: High Court declined to direct the police to arrest the Bishop; says ‘let the police quiz him again’

As the protest for the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who has been accused of raping a nun, is growing, Kerala High Court on Thursday refused to order the police to arrest the accused. The High Court took this decision as the police reported there were contradictions in the accounts of various people including the accuser.

The court said that the police probe against the accused is moving in the right direction. This was a setback for those who were demanding to arrest the accused.

“Let the police quiz him again. We will hear the case after this,” the court was quoted by the Hinudstan Times as saying.

The court will hear the case again on September 24. Earlier, it had ordered the state government to explain the details of action taken against Mulakkal.

Mulakkal has been accused of raping a 43-year-old nun. The nun alleged that she was assaulted after summoning her on the pretext of discussing an important issue in 2014. She was allegedly raped thirteen times in the last two years.

However, the accused bishop rejected the rape allegation calling it as ‘baseless and concocted’ and he maintained that he was implicated since the Catholic order had rejected her demand for favors.

The victim nun also wrote to the Vatican demanding its urgent intervention for justice. She also sought the bishop’s removal as the head of the Jalandhar diocese. She questioned that why the church was closing its eyes to the truths as she made public her sufferings after having gathered courage.

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