Kerala nun rape case: Franco Mulakkal granted bail, asked to surrender passport

Pala: Kerala High Court on Monday granted conditional bail to Franco Mulakkal, the former bishop accused of raping a nun repeatedly between 2014 and 2016.

The court further said that Mulakkal should not enter Kerala and needs to surrender his passport.

Mulakkal was arrested on September 21 after three days of questioning and on September 24, he was sent to two weeks judicial custody.

The Kerala High Court on October 3 had rejected the bail plea of former Mulakkal.

The state police, in its remand report, had said that Mulakkal came to the convent with the intention of sexually assaulting the victim. On May 5, 2014, he illegally confined her in room no. 20 of the guest house at around 10:48 pm and subjected her to unnatural sexual assault.

They had added that he threatened the victim of dire consequences if she ever revealed the incident. He raped her on the next day (May 6, 2014) as well.

Between 2014 to 2016, the victim was subjected to rape and unnatural sex for 13 times in the same room, said the report.

Mulakkal is the first bishop in the country to be sent to jail on charges of rape.

With agency inputs