Kerala Nun Rape Case: Who Is Franco Mulakkal Who Resigned As Bishop Of Jalandhar?

Franco Mulakkal is the first Catholic bishop in India to be arrested on charge of rape.

Franco Mulakkal had submitted his resignation to Pope Francis recently (File Photo)

Source : File photo

Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who was acquitted of all charges in the 2018 nun rape case, resigned as the Bishop of Jalandhar on Thursday. Franco Mulakkal submitted his resignation to Pope Francis after he was requested by the Vatican not as a disciplinary measure imposed upon him but for the good of the Jalandhar diocese to resign from the post, said a report on PTI.

Mulakkal first made news after a nun accused him of rape while he was the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese in Punjab. Later, Mulakkal became the first Indian Catholic bishop to be arrested on the charges of rape.

Last year, he was released by the court after he was found 'not guilty' in the case. 

Who is Bishop Franco Mulakkal?

Bishop Franco Mulakkal was born in Mattan in Thrissur on March 25, 1964. He was ordained as a priest in 1990. He then became an auxiliary bishop of Latin rite Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi and titular bishop of Chullu on January 2009. He was made a bishop of Jalandhar in 2013 by Pope Francis.

Mulakkal is also the Secretary of Regional Bishops Conference of North India. He is also the Consultor of Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, said a report on India Today. 

Franco Mulakkal, however, came to light for an infamous reason. In June 2018, a nun accused bishop Mulakkal of raping her several times during his visit to Kuavilangad. Her complaint read that Mulakkal raped her thirteen times between 2014 and 2016 while he visited St. Francis Mission Home in Kuravilangad. 

The nun also alleged that the police were only investigating a petition filed by Mulakkal against her brother but not her complaint. The church also removed the nun from the post of Mother Superior. Despite all these, the nun continued her legal fight.  

On July 5, 2018, the nun gave a statement in-camera before the first-class magistrate in Changanassery based on a plea by the Special Investigation team (SIT).

On July 24, 2018, several women leaders of Delhi-based organisations submitted a memorandum to Vatican's ambassador in Delhi. The memorandum told the ambassador to advise Pope to divest the bishop of pastoral works. 

Bishop Mulakkal was investigated by the SIT on August 8, 2018. During the same time, the security guards of the Bishop manhandled the media and destroyed their cameras. 

Following this, Joint Christian Council went on a hunger strike demanding the arrest of Bishop Mulakkal in Kochi on August 30, 2018. 

Two weeks later, Bishop Mulakkal wrote to Pope urging him to relieve him of his duties so that he can concentrate on the nun case. Later, he appeared for interrogation that lasted seven hours at Thrippunithura Police Women's Cell office. 

On September 22, 2018, the police arrested Mulakkal after three days of inquiry and remanded him into custody. 

On January 14, 2022, the court pronounced the verdict acquitting him of sexual assault charges. The court also reportedly found him not guilty in the case. 

On February 8, this year, Mulakkal met the Pope and it was his first meeting with the pontiff after being acquitted by the Additional District and Sessions Court I, Kottayam in the rape case. However, Mulakkal was not given any new responsibilities in the church even after the Court verdict.

Meanwhile,  the nun has moved the Kerala High Court against the trial court verdict in the case.