Kottayam: The Kerala High Court on Thursday postponed the hearing on the bail plea of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, arrested for allegedly raping a nun, to Wednesday, October 3.
The prosecution pleaded not to grant bail to the bishop pointing out he might try to destroy evidence. The police also informed the court that the investigation is progressing and the team needs to head to Jalandhar for further probe.
Meanwhile, the defence argued that the allegations against the bishop are baseless. The bishop's lawyers also submitted photographs from a function which both the nun and the bishop had attended earlier and argued that she was not intimidated by his presence.
The bishop was remanded to judicial custody till October 6 by the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Pala, on Monday. Judge M Lekshmi had sent the bishop to the Pala sub-jail as the police did not seek his custody.
On Monday, the HC had postponed the hearing on the bail plea to Thursday.
While considering his plea, the court observed that anticipatory bail, which was already moved cannot be considered, as he was already under arrest.
The bishop had alleged in his plea that he was arrested flouting the rules.
He also feared the police may fabricate evidence against him and added his health condition was not good.
The High Court also settled the petitions seeking CBI probe into the allegations of rape, saying the police should be allowed to conduct an independent investigation.
In its remand report, police had said the nun was subjected to rape and unnatural sex by the accused at the guest house of St Francis Mission Home at Kuravilangadu 13 times between 2014 and 2016.
