Kottayam: Court extends bishop Franco bail, trial in case to begin June 7

Kottayam: The trial in the rape case against Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal will begin at the Kottayam district court on June 7. The first class judicial magistrate’s court, Pala, extended the bail for the bishop, who appeared before it on Friday.

The court also gave him the photocopy of the chargesheet and other documents in the case.  The bishop reached Pala on the basis of
the summons issued by the court.

Earlier, the bishop reached Pala and visited the tomb of St Alphonsa at Bharananganam. The diary which contained his statement in the case was placed on the tomb and prayers were rendered. His family members and those from Jalandhar were also beside him.

Accepting the chargesheet submitted by the Special Investigation Team in its file, the court had summoned the bishop on May 4.
The document runs to over 2000 pages and includes five volumes.

Along with the chargesheet,  the investigation team also submitted 101 documents to the court.

It has listed about 83 witnesses, including Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry, Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt of Pala diocese, Bhagalpur Bishop Kurian Valiyakandathil and Bishop Sebastian Vadakkel of the diocese of Ujjain.

The seven magistrates, who recorded the statements of witnesses, will also turn up as witnesses.
The case will be transferred to the Kottayam district court for trial.

The nun belonging to the St Francis Mission home at Kuravilangadu complained against the bishop on June 26, 2008.   He was arrested after a four-month investigation.

The bishop has been arraigned as an accused in the case under IPC sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 (2k) (rape on a woman incapable of giving consent), 376 (2n) (causing grievous bodily harm during rape), 376 (c) (a) 377 (unnatural offence), 506 (1) (criminal intimidation).

If proved guilty, he may be sentenced to life imprisonment or a minimum imprisonment of not less than 10 years.