Kerala nun rape case: Kerala Court summons Franco Mulakkal for trial

The actual trial in Kerala nun rape case to being, Kottayam sessions court asks rape accused ex-Bishop Franco Mulakkal to appear before on the 11th of November. There is no news about the trial or legal proceedings on the Kerala nun rape case after the charge sheet was filed in the month of April 2019, except for few stories on intimidation of companion nuns and supporting nun by the church bodies.

The charge sheet was filed in the month of April 2019, 7 months after the arrest of Ex Bishop Franco Mulakkal who was released on October 15th itself on the court bail. Many alleged that the Kerala police have taken much time to file the charge sheet in this case after the arrest, in spite of having all the evidence. But the police came with an explanation in the charge sheet itself that they had to examine and combine many kinds of evidences including the statements of different people to scientific evidence.

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After the filing of the charge sheet in April, the case didn't move forward and the actual trail didn't begin. The counsel of the survivor nun also had an idea to approach Kerala high court, seeking the high court to direct the lower court to take up the case earlier as it was pending for a long time.

While this is the case, the survivor nun herself had written a letter to the NCW and the state Women's rights commission to interfere in the matter as the aides of ex bishop Franco Mulakkal were targeting and intimidating her on social media and YouTube pages. She also alleged that Mulakkal was also trying to intimidate her and forcing her to withdraw the compliant by all these acts.

At this juncture, the Kottayam district additional sessions court has asked the rape accused Franco Mulakkal to appear before to begin the actual trail. Sandhya Raju, the counsel of survivor nun who spoke with Republic said, "This will be initial hearing for the actual trail as the charge sheet is already been filed, they will be examined now, We expect a day to day hearing and Franco Mulakkal will be present in the court during every hearing." 

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Franco Mulakkal was booked under various sections including IPC 342 (Punishment for wrongful confinement), 376 (2) (K) (being in a position of control or dominance over a woman,commits rape on such woman),    376 (C) (I) (Sexual intercourse by a person in authority) 377/506 (1) (Carnal Intercourse against the order of nature with the victim without consent and criminally intimidated the victim by extending threats).

The FIR was filed on June 2018 while he was arrested and questioned by the police on September 2018, the charge sheet was filed in April 2019 while the actual trail is going to begin from November 11, 2019.

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