देश

Accused Franco Mulakkal being interrogated at Crime Branch

Former Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal, who has been accused sexual assaulting a nun, was grilled by the Kerala police for seven hours on Wednesday. The police will continue its interrogation on Thursday at the Crime Branch.

“The first phase of interrogation is over. He has been asked to be present tomorrow morning at 11 am for continued interrogation. He has agreed to it,” Kottayam Superintendent of police Hari Sankar said after the marathon questioning of the priest.

A five-member team of the Kerala police led by Vaikom Deputy Superintendent of Police K Subhash interrogated the bishop at the Crime Branch for allegedly raping a nun. This is the second police interrogation that bishop Mulakkal will face in connection with the alleged crime.

Earlier, a police team from Kerala had travelled to Jalandhar to question him. On Tuesday, Mulakkal, filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Kerala High Court claiming allegations against him were a “cooked up story to wreak vengeance”.

Citing convention, legal experts said police may not arrest Mulakkal, who recently stepped aside as the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese, since his anticipatory bail plea is pending before the high court. However, police can still arrest him if it has sufficient evidence, they said. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kerala Police has asked him to appear before it Wednesday.