Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of Catholic Christians, has accepted the resignation of an Indian bishop acquitted of raping a nun.
Franco Malakal, 59, was accused of raping a minor between 2014 and 2016, but he denied the charges and was acquitted by a court in the southern Indian state of Kerala last year.
Franco was a bishop in the diocese of Jalandhar in the northern state of Punjab.
The Vatican confirmed Franco’s resignation on Thursday and said it was not done as part of any disciplinary action against him.
A statement from the Apostolic Nuncio, the Vatican’s diplomatic representative in India, said Franco Malakal’s resignation was accepted for the ‘good of the Jalandhar Diocese’ and the appointment of a new bishop.
According to the Times of India, the statement added that ‘in view of the divisive situation still prevailing in the Jalandhar Diocese regarding the said matter, the resignation of Franco Malakal is not a disciplinary measure imposed on him but on the part of Fr. has been called for the betterment of the Church, especially for the good of the Jalandhar Diocese which now needs a new Bishop.’
According to the statement, Malakal will henceforth be known as Bishop Emeritus of Jalandhar.
In 2018, a Kerala nun filed a case against Franco Malakal alleging that he raped her multiple times between 2014 and 2016 during visits to her convent in Kottayam, Kerala.
He was temporarily suspended from his duties as a priest in 2018 after allegations of rape by a nun.
In October of the same year, a key witness in the case died.
Koriakos Katutara, who served as a priest in Punjab, was found dead in his room a few weeks after testifying against Franco Malakal.
According to The Hindu newspaper, the priest’s brother, Jose Corin, had requested Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to investigate Katuthara’s death.
He had alleged in his petition after his brother’s death that ‘during the investigation, my brother was repeatedly threatened by people close to Bishop Malakal. They damaged a car and pelted stones at his house in Jalandhar.’
According to the late priest’s brother, ‘he was in danger of his life. Our family has strong suspicions regarding the mysterious and sudden death of my brother.’
According to a 2019 report, the nun who accused Franco Malakal of raping her accused church officials of telling her to keep quiet about the matter.
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The church only admitted the accusations after the woman’s five fellow nuns rebelled and publicly rallied in her support. He said that there was intense pressure on him to remain silent.
The New York Times quoted one of the nuns as saying: ‘How am I supposed to tell my son about how the One who taught us right and wrong gave him First Communion after he had committed so great a sin?’
In January last year, a Kerala trial court acquitted Franco Malakal of rape and sexual assault charges.
Despite the verdict in his favor, he was not given any new responsibilities in Jalandhar Church.
In a video message, the bishop emeritus thanked his supporters for supporting him during this ‘difficult time’ and confirmed that he had resigned.
Bishops traditionally resign after the age of 75.
Meanwhile, the nun who accused Franco Malakal of rape has appealed to the Kerala State High Court against the trial court’s decision.