Kochi: Expelled Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal was acquitted of rape and other charges by a court in Kottayam.
The Additional District and Sessions court delivered the verdict in the presence of Franco on Friday.
Franco was slapped with different charges including rape made by a nun of the Missionaries of Jesus Convent in Kuravilangad.
The nun accused him of sexually abusing her 13 times between 2014 and 2016.
After failing to get any relief from the Pope and the Church, she filed a police complaint with the Kottayam district police chief against Franco on June 27, 2018.
An FIR was filed against Franco by Kuravilangad police on June 28, 2018.
He was expelled as Bishop by the Pope in
September 2018.
Franco was arrested in Tripunithura on September 21, 2018 after three days of interrogation.
The Kerala High Court granted conditional bail to him on October 15, 2018. Franco was asked to report before the police station once every two weeks. He was not allowed to leave the country and not allowed to enter Kerala.
His discharge plea was rejected by a lower court, Kerala High court and twice by the Supreme Court.
The Additional District and Sessions court, which began the in-camera trial in November, 2019, concluded the trial on January 10.
Photo Credit: Twitter
