Kerala court extends Bishop Franco Mulakkal's remand by 14 days

Kottayam, Oct 6: Accused in the nun rape case, Kerala’s Bishop Franco Mulakkal has been remanded to judicial custody until October 20 by the Kerala court on Saturday.

The 54-year-old Bishop was produced in the court of magistrate at Pala in Kottayam district in Kerala as his judicial custody expired on Saturday.

The Pala court has extended the judicial custody of the Bishop by 14 days. The bishop was arrested on the charges of repeatedly raping and sexually exploiting a nun.

According to sources, the lawyers representing the Bishop in the court were planning to move the Kerala High Court to seek bail for him.

According to agency reports the High Court dismissed Mulakkal’s bail plea on Wednesday, while accepting the prosecution’s argument that the accused, holding a high position in society, would try to influence the witnesses in the case if he was granted bail.

The police had said the investigation in the case was progressing even after the arrest of the accused. Mulakkal is currently lodged in a sub-jail in Pala.

In her complaint to the Kottayam police in June, the nun alleged that Mulakkal raped her at a guest house in Kuravilangad in May 2014 and subsequently, sexually exploited her on several occasions.

The nun had said she had to approach the police as the church authorities did not act on her repeated complaints against the clergyman.