Kottayam/Kuravilangad:
The survivor in the rape case involving Bishop Franco Mulakkal has expressed her gratitude to the Kerala government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for appointing Advocate B.G. Harindranath as Special Public Prosecutor in the case. She was speaking to the media on Saturday morning at the Kuravilangad convent.
The survivor said she had personally requested the Chief Minister to appoint former Law Secretary Advocate B.G. Harindranath as Special Public Prosecutor, and thanked the government for acceding to her request. She also expressed gratitude to the media, the general public, and those who stood in solidarity with her, including people who organised signature campaigns in support of her fight for justice. An official notification regarding the appointment is expected to be issued shortly.
The survivor had recently stated that the failure to appoint a Special Public Prosecutor had caused her immense mental distress. She clarified that she had submitted a representation directly to the Chief Minister, following which the government issued the order.
The case dates back to June 2018, when the survivor, a nun, filed a complaint at the Kuravilangad police station alleging that Bishop Franco Mulakkal had sexually assaulted her multiple times between 2014 and 2016. Based on the complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 376. Franco Mulakkal was arrested by the Kerala Police in September 2018, and a charge sheet was later filed after the completion of the investigation.
On January 14, 2022, the Kottayam Sessions Court acquitted Bishop Franco Mulakkal of all charges. The survivor later stated that although the verdict deeply affected her, her struggle for justice was not over. She also described the Vatican’s subsequent demand for Mulakkal’s resignation as a partial victory in her long legal battle.
With the appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor, the survivor and her supporters have expressed hope that the legal proceedings related to the case will now move forward more effectively.
