Former Catholic Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun in Kerala has tested positive for COVID-19 in Jalandhar on Tuesday. According to the reports, Mulakkal’s PRO Father Peter said the health of the bishop is not so good.
The former bishop had tested negative in the first test. But when symptoms persisted, he was tested again for which results have now come positive. It’s unclear whether Mulakkal will be admitted to a hospital in Jalandhar or brought to Kerala in connection with the rape case, as per the reports.
Mulakkal’s counsel informed the court that his client could not appear as he had been in self-quarantine due to his primary contact with a COVID-19 infected person. During the previous hearing on July 1 also he had failed to appear before the Court. His counsel had then submitted that the priest could not appear as he was stuck in a coronavirus containment zone at Jalandhar in Punjab. The prosecution on Monday countered the claim by the accused, saying the place where he lived in Jalandhar was not a containment zone on July 1.
The Jalandhar court had cancelled the bail granted to Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun in Kerala, for failing to appear for the trial in the case and issued a Non Bailable Warrant against him.
Mulakkal, accused of raping a subordinate nun belonging to the Missionaries of Jesus congregation, face charges under IPC sections 342 (wrongful confinement) and 376 (2) (being a public servant takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman in his custody) and 377 (unnatural offences), etc.
The rape case against the Roman Catholic Bishop was filed by the police in Kottayam district.
