Kerala Nun Rape Case: Court Extends Bail Of Former Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal

A Kerala court on Saturday (30 November) extended the bail of former Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of sexually assaulting a nun between 2014 and 2016, till 6 January.

Franco was present in the additional sessions court during the hearing, where he arrived after praying in a nearby church.

Mulakkal was arrested on 21 September, 2018 on rape charges and got bail on 16 October, 2018.

The Kerala Police has already filed a 1,400-page charge-sheet in the court against him.

The trial is expected to start from 6 January.

The chargesheet names 83 witnesses, including the Cardinal of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Mar George Alencherry, three bishops, 11 priests and many nuns.

After the case came to light, Mulakkal was removed as head of the diocese of Jalandhar.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)