Accused Bishop Resigns from Indian Diocese Amid Rape Allegations
Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who was acquitted of raping a nun, has resigned as the leader of the Catholic diocese in Jalandhar, India. The Vatican did not provide a reason for the resignation or why Pope Francis accepted it. Mulakkal was accused of raping a nun multiple times during his visits to her convent in Kerala state, which led to public protests by fellow nuns. He was charged with rape, illegal confinement, and intimidation of the nun, but was acquitted in January 2021. The nun has appealed the verdict to Kerala’s High Court.
