Accepting the chargesheet submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in its file, the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Pala has sent a summons to Bishop Franco Mulakkal in the nun rape case.
As per the summons, the Bishop is required to appear before the court on May 10. Official sources said the accused would be handed a copy of the chargesheet and related documents upon his appearance before the judge.
Earlier, the court accepted the chargesheet after a verification of the document, which is over 2000 pages and includes five volumes. Since the charges against the accused entail a punishment of more than a year, the case will be committed to the sessions Court in Kottayam later.
The Bishop has been arraigned as an accused in the case under IPC sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 (2k) (rape on a woman incapable of giving consent), 376 (2n) (causing grievous bodily harm during rape), 376 (c) (a) 377 (unnatural offence), 506 (1) (criminal intimidation) IPC Sections).
If proved guilty, the Bishop may get a sentence of life imprisonment or a minimum imprisonment of not less than 10 years.
Along with the chargesheet, the SIT also submitted 101 documents before the court. It lists about 83 witnesses including Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry, Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt of the Pala diocese, Bhagalpur Bishop Kurian Valiyakandathil and Bishop Sebastian Vadakkel of the diocese of Ujjain.
The seven magistrates, who recorded the statements of the witnesses, will also appear as witnesses in the case.