Kottayam : The Kottayam Sessions Court on Friday acquitted Bishop Franco Mulakkal of the sexual assault case registered against him by a nun in Kerala. The court dismissed all seven criminal offences brought up against him.

The additional district and sessions court acquitted the Bishop pointing out that the prosecution failed to produce ample evidence.

The case against the Bishop was registered by the police in Kottayam in June 2018.

The nun in her complaint to the police in June 2018 had alleged that she was subjected to sexual assault by the bishop between 2014 and 2016 in the Missionaries of Jesus convent.

The trial in the case started in November 2019 and concluded on January 10 after a 105-day hearing.

The 1000-page charge sheet comprised of 84 witnesses which included three Bishops, 11 priests and 24 nuns. Thirty-three people from the witness list were probed during the trial.

Restrictions were placed by the court on publishing any matter relating to the trial through print and electronic media without its permission.

Bishop Franco did not comment to the media on the verdict. Instead, he embraced his lawyers and thanked and praised God.

The bishop also offered Holy Mass in Kottayam Kallathippadi Retreat Centre before proceeding to his hometown in Thrissur.

The verdict in Bishop’s case was delivered by G. Gopakumar, Kottayam Additional District Sessions Court Judge.