Questioning to continue today KOCHI: Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of rape by a nun, was grilled by an investigation team for over seven hours on Wednesday. The bishop reportedly cooperated with the police and questioning will continue on Thursday, with the investigation team hopeful that they will be able to decide soon whether he needs to be arrested or not. The Kerala high court has posted hearing of the bishop’s anticipatory bail plea for September 25.Bishop Mulakkal appeared before the investigating officer (IO) at 11 am in Tripunithura, a surprising and seemingly last-minute choice of venue that lies outside the jurisdiction of Kottayam police who are probing the case. The Tripunithura facility was reportedly chosen due to its hi-tech features – hidden cameras, microphones, two-way mirrors and wireless devices that allows closer monitoring of the suspect and enables the interrogators to get live inputs from outside.According to sources with the investigation team, Mulakkal was asked around 150 questions. “The questioning this time was far better compared to the one we had in Jalandhar as we have more evidence now. The bishop is cooperating with the questioning,” a source said. A forensic team was present at the venue of questioning.Bishop Mulakkal is accused of raping a nun, who used to be at Jalandhar with him, 13 times at St Francis Mission Home, Kuravilangad. The bishop was questioned at Jalandhar by the IO in August, after which several contradictions were found in the statements of witnesses, the accused and the complainant.In the current round of questioning, the investigators are expecting to get clarity on several aspects, including over the bishop’s alibis and evidence he produced to prove the same. The bishop's claim that the nun had a grudge against him and was the reason for filing the rape complaint also needs to be verified, police sources said.On Wednesday, the bishop corrected a statement made during the Jalandhar questioning. “He has changed the statement that he didn’t go to St Francis Mission Home at Kuravilangad where the crime allegedly happened for the first time. He said he did go there for a brief visit but didn’t stay at the Home,” an official source said.Sources said the bishop was offered lunch at around 1pm but refused, preferring to subsist on water. Vaikom DSP K Subash and Kottayam SP Hari Sankar were present during the questioning. Officers from Kochi city police, including Kochi DCP J Himendranath and Crime Branch ACP Biji George also visited the facility during the questioning.Police officials said that the bishop’s statements corroborated evidence they have and there is a “good chance” of arriving at a conclusion after Thursday’s questioning.“The interrogation is still incomplete and more details can be divulged only after its completion. But there are two to three key aspects that have been cleared today,” an officer said.

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