Charge sheet read out to ‘rape’ accused Kerala Catholic bishop

A court in Kottayam on Thursday read out the charge sheet to rape accused former Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal and set the date for commencement of trial on September 16.

It was last week that Kottayam Additional Sessions Court ordered him not to leave the city till the charge sheet is read out, after the Supreme Court dismissed the petition filed by him seeking to discharge him in the Kerala nun rape case.

The important points in the charge sheet that runs over a thousand pages was read out to him, which he flatly denied.

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

The charge sheet names 83 witnesses, including the Cardinal of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Mar George Alencherry, three bishops, 11 priests and 22 nuns.

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