Franco Mulakkal Resigns As Jalandhar Bishop

As per a church source, Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who was temporarily removed of his pastoral duties by Pope Francis in 2018 after claims of rape by a nun, has resigned from the position of Jalandhar Bishop.

Franco Mulakkal's current status as Bishop Emeritus of Jalandhar does not mean that he has canonical limitations on his ministry. On February 8 of this year, Mulakkal met the Pope for the first time after the Additional District and Sessions Court I, Kottayam cleared him of all charges in the rape case.

Following Mulakkal's interrogation by Kerala police in connection with allegations of rape made by a nun, Pope Francis temporarily stripped the bishop of his duties over the diocese in September 2018.

Mulakkal was not granted any additional responsibility in the church despite being cleared by the local court in the controversial case. The Vatican had previously approved the court's judgement clearing him of all rape-related charges.

The nun, who claims the bishop sexually assaulted her, has appealed the trial court's decision to the Kerala High Court.

She had claimed Mulakkal, who was the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese in Punjab, had repeatedly raped her during his visits to a convent in Kottayam, Kerala, between 2014 and 2016.