Kottayam, Sep 24: A Kerala court on Monday sent Franco Mulakkal, arrested on charges of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a nun, to judicial custody till October 6. Franco Mulakkal was produced before Pala Judicial Magistrate Court after his two-days' police custody ended. His bail plea was turned down by the court.

On Sunday, the Kerala police brought Franco Mulakkal to a convent where the assault took place. The trip to the convent was part of the police's evidence gathering. According to the victim's complains, Mulakkal raped her at the VIP rest room, where he has been staying. He was arrested on Friday in Tripunithura after three days of questioning in the case. Kerala Nun Rape: Probe Team Seeks Nod for Bishop's Polygraph Test.

One of the five nuns who took to the streets in Kochi in an indefinite protest demanding the then bishop's arrest, on Saturday told the media: "We never did this for our benefit, instead we wanted to ensure that there would never be another bishop like Mulakkal who would turn a tormentor," the nun added. The protest were called off on Saturday.

In her complaint to Kottayam Police in June, the nun had alleged that Bishop Mulakkal raped her at a guest house in Kuravilangad in May 2014 and later sexually exploited her on several occasions. The nun said she had to approach the police as the church authorities did not act on her repeated complaints against the clergyman.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 24, 2018 02:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).