KOCHI: The high court has dismissed the bail plea of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who is accused of sexually abusing a nun multiple times.

Rejecting the bail application on Wednesday, the court said there was prima facie evidence against the bishop. The court also accepted the Prosecution’s argument that granting bail to the bishop may result in the investigation getting sabotaged.

With this Franco will continue in jail, though he has completed 11 days in the jail. The court said it was not delving into other aspects of the case since it was a rape case.

“Just the primary investigation is on and if the bishop, who has a strong influence on the church is let off on bail, he may influence the witnesses.” the Prosecution pointed.

The court took this argument at face value and denied Franco bail.

Earlier, the DGP had submitted an affidavit in the high court, stating that there were chances for the case getting undermined.

Now Franco has two options before him. He can approach the division bench with a review petition or he can approach the Supreme Court, questioning the Single bench order.

Centres related to the bishop are mulling over moving a review petition in the high court rather than approaching the Supreme Court.

The nun had filed a complaint in June alleging that she was sexually exploited by the bishop multiple times between 2014 and 2016 in the Kuravilangad convent in Kottayam.

After months of investigation, the police filed an affidavit in the Kerala High Court. The affidavit that was submitted to the court on August 13 stated, “During the course of the investigation so far conducted and the available evidence collected so far, it is revealed that the accused Bishop Franco committed unnatural offence and committed rape repeatedly on different dates from 05/05/2014 to 23/09/2016 on the complainant against the will and consent of her abusing his dominance over her as Bishop of Jalandhar after confining her in the guest room number 20 of St Francis Bishop Home Kuravilangad.”