Kerala Police summons rape-accused Bishop Franco Mullakal for questioning on September 19

Kochi: Bishop Franco Mullakal of Jalandhar diocese, who is accused of raping a nun, has been summoned by the Kerala Police for questioning in connection with the case.

According to ANI, the bishop has been asked to appear before the Kerala Police investigating team on September 19.

''Bishop Franco has been asked to appear on 19th Sept. There are a lot of contradictions in the case. This is an old case based primarily on oral evidence. We have verified a lot of contradictions. It's our duty to protect the victim and the witnesses,'' IG Vijay Sakhre told reporters.

Bishop Franco has been asked to appear on 19th Sept. There are a lot contradictions in the case. This is an old case based primarily on oral evidence. We have verified a lot of contradictions. It's our duty to protect the victim&witnesses: IG Vijay Sakre on Kerala nun rape case pic.twitter.com/v71K0GOFFQ — ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2018

The decision to summon the Jalandhar diocese was taken after a meeting chaired by Vijay Sakhare, Inspector General of Police (Ernakulam range), which was also attended by Kottayam District Superintendent of Police Harisankar and Vaikom Deputy Superintendent of Police K Subhash.

The Kerala Police is reportedly under mounting pressure to initiate action against the rape-accused Mullakal.

The 'raped' nun had recently written a letter to The Vatican for justice and demanded that the bishop be removed as the head of the Jalandhar diocese. In her letter, she also questioned why the church was "closing its eyes to the truth" when she mustered the courage to make public her sufferings.

In the scathing letter, the nun urged The Vatican for its urgent intervention in the mater. The nun also asked will the Church be able to give back what she has lost? She alleged that the bishop was using "political and money power" to influence the case against him.

She had accused the clergyman of sexually assaulting her repeatedly between 2014 and 2016.

The bishop had, however, dismissed the allegations as "baseless and concocted", insisting she levelled those as the Catholic order had rejected her demand for favours.