Summary:
The pressure on him increased after the complainant and five other nuns stated protest in Kerala. JALANDHAR: Days before his appearance before the Kerala Police special investigation team (SIT) on Wednesday to join probe in a rape case lodged by a nun Jalandhar Diocese Bishop Franco Mulakkal has written to the Pope offering to step aside temporarily.Bishop Franco was earlier quizzed for around nine hours during the intervening night of August 13 and 14 at the Bishop House here. However, he claimed that the protest was sponsored by anti-Church lobbies and claimed that he was innocent.There have been widespread protests in Kerala and other places against the accused bishop.Meanwhile, the agitation at Vanchi Square gathered more steam, where five nuns are staging a sit-in protest demanding the arrest of bishop Franco Mulakkal. However, this time he has been summoned to Kerala.A statement issued by Diocese spokesperson Fr Peter Kavumpuram said the Bishop was confident that his request would be accepted by the Vatican.Earlier, the Bishop had claimed that he considered stepping down but other priests at the Diocese told him that it would send a signal of admission of “charges” levelled against him by the nun..