Bishop shares jail with petty case accused

KOTTAYAM Sept 25: Bishop Franco, arrested in nun rape case, was remanded in judicial custody on Monday and sent to Kottayam sub-jail. The Pala magistrate court issued the order in this regard .

He has been lodged in Cell No 3. Two others who are lodged in the cell are petty case accused. Since C class facilities are provided, Franco will not get a cot to sleep. He will have to lay on the floor on a mat.

On completion of two days’ police custody, Franco was produced in the court during the day. However, the police didn’t ask for extension of his custody. Following this, the bishop was remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody.

The remand date will expire on October 6.

Meanwhile, the bishop’s anticipatory bail petition, already submitted in the high court, will be considered on September 27.

In the bail plea, Franco has alleged that he had been framed in the rape case and his arrest is illegal. “In the complaint given by the nun initially, there was no mention of sexual abuse.

There is also no criminal cases against me. The nun and family had threatened me. The nun’s brother even threatened me that he would not allow me to land in Kerala,” he said in the bail plea.