The police team probing the rape charges against Bishop Franco Mulakkal will submit the chargesheet on Tuesday.
According to officials, investigating officer K. Subash, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vaikom, will submit the chargesheet before the Judicial First Class Magistrate, Pala, in the afternoon. The case assumes significance as it is the first incident in the country wherein a Bishop will be facing trial based on a complaint of a nun.
83 witnesses
The detailed chargesheet, with statements and documents, runs over 2,000 pages. There are 83 witnesses, which included 25 nuns and 11 priests, in the case.
Among the witnesses are Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry, Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt of Pala diocese, Bhagalpur Bishop Kurian Valiyakandathil, and Bishop Sebastian Vadakkel of the diocese of Ujjain.
The statements of the crucial 10 witnesses had been recorded by magistrates.
To prevent the witnesses from turning hostile, the statements of all witnesses have been videographed.
Bishop Mulakkal was taken into police custody on September 21 last year after interrogation for about two days.
