Kerala nun rape case: Bishop Franco Mulakkal’s bail extended

Kottayam (Kerala) Nov 30 (IANS) A court near here on Saturday extended the bail of former Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of sexually assaulting a nun between 2014 and 2016, till January 6.Franco was present in the additional sessions court during the hearing, where he arrived after praying in a nearby church.Mulakkal was arrested on September 21, 2018 on rape charges and got bail on October 16, 2018. The Kerala Police has already filed a 1,400-page chargesheet in the court against him. The trial is expected to start from January 6.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.–IANS sg/dpb