Kochi: Accused for raping a Kerala nun, Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal appeared before the Kerala police for questioning on Wednesday.
A five-member Kerala police team led by Vaikom Dy SP K Subhash is interrogating Bishop Mulakkal at Crime Branch (CID).
Security has been tightened at the Crime Branch (CID) where the team is interrogating the bishop.
Ahead of interrogation, Vaikom Dy SP K Subhash held a meeting with Kochi Range IG Vijay Sakhare.
After mounting pressure by activists, nuns and people to initiate action against the bishop, the Kerala police last week issued summon to the priest. He was asked to be present before the police for interrogation on September 19.
A day before his summon, Bishop Mulakkal moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The court will hear his plea on September 26.
Franco Mulakkal had also written to the Pope seeking permission to temporarily step down from the responsibilities as the bishop or head of the diocese of Jalandhar, saying that he needs to spend more time to fight his case.
In a letter dated September 16, he said he may have to travel to Kerala several times and so he wants to hand over the responsibilities of the diocese temporarily.
The nun in her late 40s has alleged that she was sexually abused by Franco Mulakkal repeatedly between 2014 and 2016 during his visits to a convent in Kottayam district.
