Sexual abuse of nun: Jalandhar bishop's arrest imminent

The arrest of Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal of Roman Catholic Diocese appears imminent with the visiting Kerala police likely to begin interrogation of the accused bishop anytime soon in the case of sexual abuse of a nun.

A six-member Kerala police team led by Vaikom DSP K Subhash has been in Punjab for the last few days recording statements of people and gathering evidence in the case as part of investigation. The police have recorded statements of four nuns and at least two people at Trinity College in Jalandhar. The 54-year-old Mulakkal was booked in Kottayam in Kerala on June 29 this year for sexually abusing a 43-year-old nun 13 times, including in Jalandhar between 2014 and 2016. No arrest was made till filing of the story.

Odd commands

While the Kerala police are tight-lipped about the confessions made by the four nuns, sources said they have made certain revelations against the Jalandhar bishop. Mulakkal has refuted the charges levelled against him of sexual abuse. The nuns, who recorded their statements, have talked about a programme run by the bishop, "A day with a shepherd", where they were asked to visit him at odd hours. The nun is a member of the Missionaries of Jesus Congregation based in Punjab, which runs two convents in Kerala. She was working at one of the convents at Kuravilanagad in Kottayam.