SC Dismisses Rape Accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal’s Discharge Plea

The apex court said that Bishop Franco Mulakkal does not have a case for discharge.

File image of rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 5 August, dismissed the discharge plea filed by Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who is accused of raping a nun in a Kerala convent, saying that he does not have a case for discharge, PTI reported.

According to the news agency report, the court told Franco's counsel that it is not saying anything on merit of the case but is dismissing the plea on the issue of discharge from the case.

Mulakkal had challenged the Kerala High Court order of 7 July, in which he was asked to stand for the trial in the rape case, which was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the nun of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation in Kerala.

His counsel had argued in the high court that the charges against the accused will not hold as the case was based on statements of witnesses who resented the Bishop.

The court, however, dismissed the petition, stating that the evidence in the chargesheet is sufficient for a trial to be held against him.

The victim in June 2018 alleged that she was subjected to sexual abuse by the Bishop during the period between 2014 and 2016.

Mulakkal and his lawyer, on 14 July, had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

(With inputs from PTI and TNM)