Kottayam: Franco Mulakkal, the former bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of the Catholic Church, opened up about the nun rape case in his farewell speech on Saturday.

Addressing the believers at St Mary's Church in Jalandhar, he claimed that Kerala Police registered a rape case against him over false charges.

Mulakkal, who was acquitted in the sensational case that rocked Kerala in 2018, had stepped down from his position early last month. 

Declaring himself a winner, Franco Mulakkal stated that when the court issued a verdict acquitting him in the nun rape case in January 2022, he felt like winning a world cup.

He pointed out that his prayers were heard by God and the support of national and international media helped him.

It was in June, he announced his resignation after meeting Pope Francis in Vatican. According to reports, the Pope asked Mulakkal to render his resignation after a local court in Kottayam acquitted him in the rape case. 

He will now be known as Bishop Emeritus. There will be no canonical restrictions on Mulakkal's ministry, confirmed the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to India which represents Vatican in the country.

Mulakkal (57) was accused of raping a nun multiple times during his visit to a convent in Kottayam district between 2014 and 2016 when he was the bishop. 

The complainant is a member of the Missionaries of Jesus congregation. In her complaint to the police in June 2018, the nun had alleged that she was subjected to sexual abuse by Mulakkal between 2014 and 2016.

A case was registered by the Kottayam police in 2018.

Though the local court in Kottayam acquitted the bishop, the complainant nun has challenged this verdict in the Kerala High Court.