Franco Mulakkal, who was accused of raping a nun, has resigned as Bishop of Jalandhar. Mulakkal was later acquitted in the case. Pope Francis accepted the resignation submitted by Mulakkal. The resignation was requested by the Vatican not as a disciplinary measure imposed upon him, but for the good of the Jalandhar diocese, which needs a new bishop.
"Given the still divisive situation about the aforesaid matter in the Diocese of Jalandhar, the resignation has been requested by Rt Rev Mulakkal not as a disciplinary measure for the good of the Diocese which needs a new bishop," read the statement by Apostolic Nunciature, India, according to ANI.
Bishop Franco expressed his happiness over the Holy See accepting his resignation and said, "I thank everyone who stood by me during the trials and tribulations that I underwent,"
The Roman Catholic priest, was accused of sexually abusing a nun during his visit to a convent in Kottayam in Kerala between 2014 and 2016. The nun alleged that she was raped 13 times by Mulakkal when he was a bishop in the Missionaries of Jesus, Jalandhar diocese.
The complaint was filed on June 27, 2018, and Franco Mulakkal was arrested on September 21 on charges 7 IPC sections including rape. In the same year in September he was temporarily relieved of his responsibilities of the diocese by Pope Francis.
The trial in the case began in November 2019. After three long years, Mulakkal was acquitted on January 10, 2022 by Additional District and Sessions Court I, Kottayam, according to news agency ANI.
Despite being acquitted, Mulakkal was not given any new responsibilities in the church.
It was an in-camera trial- the media was prohibited from reporting details about it upon Mulakkal's counsel's request.
The nun, who says she was raped by the bishop, has moved the Kerala High Court against the trial court verdict in the case, PTI reported.