Franco Mulakkal

Franco Mulakkal is an Indian prelate of the Latin Catholic Church. He worked as the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar from 2013[1][2][3] until his arrest in 2018 on charges of raping a nun.[4] He is the first bishop in Indian Catholic to be arrested for being accused in a rape case. In January 2022 the Kerala district court declared him innocent without the witnesses changing their statements. The court heard the statements of 39 witnesses in the case and he was acquitted of all charges. But the nuns are still fighting for their cause.[5] He was forced to resign as Jalandhar bishop by the Vatican, and in June 2023 Pope accepted his resignation.[6]

Franco Mulakkal
Bishop Emeritus of Jalandhar
ArchdioceseDelhi
DioceseJalandhar
Appointed13 June 2013
Installed4 August 2013
Term ended1 June 2023
PredecessorAnil Joseph Thomas Couto
Orders
Ordination21 April 1990
Consecration21 February 2009
by Vincent Michael Concessao
Personal details
Born
Franco Mulakkal

(1964-03-25) 25 March 1964
Mattam, Kerala, India
NationalityIndian
DenominationLatin Church
OccupationBishop
Alma materGuru Nanak Dev University (M.A.)
Alphonsian Academy (D.Phil.)

Biography

Franco Mulakkal was born in Mattam, Thrissur, Kerala, India on 25 March 1964.

He was ordained for Priesthood at St.Thomas Forane Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Mattom, Thrissur, Kerala on 21 April 1990.[7]

Franco transferred church sui iuris from the Syro-Malabar Church to the Latin Church with his missionary work in northern India. He was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Latin rite Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi and titular bishop of Chullu on 17 January 2009. He was consecrated a bishop on 21 February 2009. He was appointed bishop of the Latin rite Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar on 13 June 2013 by Pope Francis. He was installed there on 4 August 2013.[8] He also serves as the Secretary of the Regional Bishops Conference of North India and Consultor for the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.[9][10]

Sexual assault allegation and acquittal

In June 2018, a nun accused the bishop of rape, and a complaint was filed with the Kerala Police under Section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC, India).[11] The nun alleged that she was raped by Mulakkal thirteen times between 2014 and 2016 during his visits to St. Francis Mission Home, Kuravilangad.[12][13][14][15][16][17] Mulakkal said that rape story was fabricated in retaliation for taking action against the nun with regard to a complaint raised by a woman in 2016 alleging that the nun was having an illicit relationship with her husband, and the nun was removed from her post as Mother Superior after an inquiry.[18] Police said that it was the bishop who first filed a complaint against the nun and the nun filed her complaint a day later. In his complaint, Mulakkal said that a nun was blackmailing him after he took disciplinary action against her, including transferring her, and that her family members are threatening to entrap him in rape case. FIR was filed for both cases.[19] [20] On 20 September 2018, Pope Francis accepted Mulakkal's request for a leave of absence.[21] On 21 September 2018, the Kerala police arrested him.[22][23][24][25] A Kerala judicial magistrate extended his judicial custody in jail for 14 days until 20 October 2018. The Kerala High Court rejected the bishop's first application for bail, citing prima facie evidence in the case.[26] He was granted bail on 15 October 2018.[27] In April 2019, he was formally charged by the Kerala police.[28] The trial began in November 2019.

On 14 January 2022, the Additional Sessions Court acquitted him of all charges.[5][29] The judge stated as the basis for acquittal that the nun's evidence contained "exaggerations and embellishments" and that "[w]hen it is not feasible to separate truth from falsehood, when grain and chaff are inextricably mixed up, the only available course is to discard the evidence in toto."[30] The court also observed that there was no consistency in the complainant's statement and pointed out that her original version to the doctor is contradictory to the case.[31] There have been widespread objections to the verdict, including letters published on social media in support of the complainant and five other nuns who supported her.[30] Meanwhile, the nun and the prosecution are moving to file an appeal in the high court against the verdict.[32]

See also

References
  1. "Bp. Franco visits Salesian College". Salesian College Dimapur. 14 July 2017. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  2. "Newly appointed DIOCESE of Jalandhar, Bishop Franco Mulakkal". calgaryindians.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  3. "Franco Mulakkal is new bishop". hindustantimes.com/. 14 June 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  4. Thomas, Saji (2 December 2019). "Mulakkal appears for trial in nun's rape, next hearing set for Jan. 6". Global Sisters Report. National Catholic Reporter. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  5. "Nun rape case: Court acquits Bishop Franco Mulakkal of all charges". Malayala Manorama. 14 January 2022. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  6. "Kerala nun rape case accused Franco Mulakkal resigns as Jalandhar Bishop". June 2023.
  7. Franco, Mulakkal. "Bishop Franco Mulakkal biography" (PDF). files.mulakkal.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  8. "Dr Franco Mulakkal installed as Jalandhar Bishop". Jalandhar Tribune. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  9. "Bishop Franco Mulakkal | Bishop of Jalandhar Diocese Franco Mulakkal | Ucanews". directory.ucanews.com. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  10. Cheney, David M. "Bishop Franco Mulakkal (Aippunny) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". catholic-hierarchy.org. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  11. Express News Service (9 July 2018). "Rape complaint: Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal not to be grilled soon". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  12. "Kerala rape case: Pope temporarily relieves Bishop Mulakkal of pastoral duties". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  13. "Bishop Franco Mulakkal, Accused Of Raping Kerala Nun, Temporarily Removed By Vatican". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  14. "Nun 'rape' case: SIT to question bishop for 3rd day tomorrow". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  15. "Kerala nun rape case: Accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal quizzed for 8 hours on Day 2". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  16. "Kerala nun rape case: Bishop Franco Mulakkal appears before probe team". India Today. Archived from the original on 19 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  17. "Indian bishop accused of rape steps aside, requests leave from Vatican". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  18. Express News Service (19 September 2018). "Kerala nun rape case: Allegations made up for revenge, alleges Bishop Franco Mulakkal". The New Indian Express. Malayala Manorama. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022. ...she held the highest post in the congregation as the superior general for nine years
  19. News18 (2 July 2018). "Kerala Nun Accuses Jalandhar Bishop of Sexually Abusing Her 13 Times; Church 'Ignores' Complaint". News18. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  20. Express News Service (9 July 2018). "Rape complaint: Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal not to be grilled soon". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  21. "Pope names administrator as Indian bishop investigated for alleged rape". 20 September 2018. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  22. "India bishop accused of rape arrested". BBC News. 21 September 2018. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  23. "Kerala Police arrested Franco". Asianet News. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  24. "Bishop Franco Mulakkal arrested in Kerala nun rape case". indiatoday. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  25. "Catholic bishop in India arrested after being accused of raping nun". CNN. Archived from the original on 27 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  26. "Kerala nun rape case: Bishop Franco Mulakkal's judicial custody extended by 14 days". indianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  27. "Kerala HC Grants Conditional Bail to Bishop Franco Mulakkal in Nun Rape Case". The Wire. 15 October 2018. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  28. "Indian bishop formally charged with rape". Catholic News Agency. 9 April 2019. Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  29. "bishop franco mulakkal case judgment" (PDF). livelaw. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  30. Pandey, Geeta (21 January 2022). "Franco Mulakkal: Hundreds write to Kerala nun who lost rape case against bishop". BBC News. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  31. "Nun rape case: 'Exaggerations, embellishments' in victim's statements, reads 289-page verdict". onmanorama.com. 14 January 2022. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  32. "Nun rape case: Prosecution sets ball rolling for plea in Kerala high court". Times of India. 23 January 2022. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
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