Kerala police grill Jalandhar bishop for seven hours

Kerala Police questioned Jalandhar bishop Franco Mullakkal, who is accused of raping a nun, for seven hours on Wednesday before asking him to appear again before the investigating team on Thursday.

“The first round of questioning is over. We have asked him to come again on Thursday. He’s cooperating. Since it’s an ongoing investigation, we can’t reveal more,” said Kottayam SP Harishankar.

Activists outside the interrogation centre at Tripunithura, on the outskirts of Kochi, showed black flags to the bishop when he came out after the questioning. He was accompanied by his counsel and priests from Jalandhar. In Kochi, nuns demanding his arrest continued their protest for the 12th day. “Police are giving him time to influence witnesses and fabricate evidence. Our struggle will continue till his arrest,” said sister Anupama, one of the five nuns of the Missionaries of Jesus holding the dharna.

Police sources said that the bishop told the interrogators that he was innocent and did not go to the Kuravilangad convent in Kottayam on the dates on which the nun said she was assaulted.

The nun’s sister, who was on hunger strike for three days, was hospitalised after her condition deteriorated. She said she will continue her fast in hospital.

The Kerala high court has deferred hearing on an anticipatory bail plea by the bishop to September 25. In her complaint, the 43-year-old nun said that the bishop, 54, sexually assaulted her after summoning her on the pretext of discussing an important issue in 2014. She was raped repeatedly till 2016, she said.