Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who was temporarily relieved of his pastoral responsibilities by Pope Francis in 2018 following allegations of rape by a nun, has resigned from the Jalandhar Bishop’s post, the Vatican’s representative in India said on Thursday.
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Franco Mulakkal, the bishop of the Diocese of Jalandhar in the northern Indian state of Punjab. The bishop had been accused of repeatedly raping a nun over a two-year period in Kerala but was acquitted last year. The Vatican made the announcement on Thursday, providing no additional details regarding the decision.