We Proved Allegations Against Bishop Franco Mulakkal Fabricated, Says Defense Attorney | Kochi News

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KOCHI: Rape allegations against Bishop Franco Mulakkal were fabricated and defense attorneys proved his innocence during cross-examination, says lead attorney B Raman Pillai, who led the defense team that argued the case on behalf of the bishop. From the very beginning, we have maintained that this is a totally fabricated affair. The bishop was presented as a defendant, Pillai said. All the witnesses told the prosecution’s version, but the defense succeeded in establishing that these were not statements likely to be acted upon. Through thorough cross-examination, we were able to establish his innocence, he said. She is no ordinary victim as claimed. She was mother general of a congregation for nine years. The congregation runs many schools and monasteries. Several nuns have served in the congregation which also has monasteries in other states. It was an individual who was the head of the congregations who made these statements. There are manipulations in these statements that were made later. Therefore, we argued in court that she had other grounds for raising such an allegation, Pillai said. Everything recorded by the police in the case diary was presented to the court. But cross-examination showed these accusations are fabricated, Pillai said. He said anyone can consult a lawyer or someone else who knows the legal process and make statements accordingly. The court is not bound by this. It has to be credible to the court, he said. Lawyer CS Ajayan, another defense attorney, said the complainant was not a quality witness. In order to convict someone of rape based on the victim’s testimony alone, their testimony must be strong. If not, it should be corroborated by other evidence. There was no such corroboration in this case, he said. There was an inordinate four-year delay in raising the allegation which was not explained by her, he said. He also said that in none of the written complaints to church authorities did she make an allegation of sexual harassment against the bishop. It was only after the Diocese’s PRO filed a complaint with the Kottayam SP that the nuns’ relatives threatened to kidnap and kill the bishop she had raised the allegations, he added. . The initial version was different from the last version. All of his statements were dubious and the court naturally sought corroboration. However, there was no corroboration, not even medical corroboration, Ajayan said. None of the witnesses were hostile. But of the 39 witnesses, the survivor entrusted the complaint to only two nuns, he said. Ajayan said they cross-examined a TV reporter who had interviewed one of these nuns. The nun made contradictory statements during the interview and during cross-examination, he said.

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