Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 14 : A Kerala court on Friday acquitted Catholic Bishop Franco Mulakkal in the nun rape case.

Kottayam Additional district court judge G.Gopakumar's verdict enabled Franco to walk out free.

The trial extended over 105 days with 39 witnesses being examined and 122 documents produced before the court.

While serving as Bishop of the Jalandhar Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, he was accused of raping a nun, who belonged to the Missionaries of Jesus congregation.

During his visits between 2014 and 2016 to Kerala, he was accused of raping the 43-year old nun on 13 occasions. Later, he was removed from the charge of the Jalandhar diocese.

A complaint was filed against him in June 2018 in Kerala and Mulakkal was arrested on September 21, 2018 on rape charges.

He secured bail on October 16, 2018.

The charge sheet names 83 witnesses, including the Cardinal of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Mar George Alencherry, three bishops, 11 priests and 22 nuns.

Of the 83 witnesses, 39 were called and they were heard.

Franco had approached the Kerala High Court and also the Supreme Court to quash the FIR against him, but both the courts failed to do so and the trial began.

Meanwhile, the former Kottayam SP of Police Harisankar who oversaw the probe said he was supremely confident that the verdict would be against the accused.

"This was the least expected as the witnesses did a very clean job. An appeal should be filed," said Harisankar.

The public prosecutor informed the media that an appeal would be filed.

Kerala: Bishop Franco Mulakkal acquitted in nun rape case