Dileep, Bishop Franco and Kerala High Court

High rise we feel enjoy life, their life is so complex..In todays world I am not even sure I can take a side. Both parties can make up stories. Experience help us  to see up close the other side of a woman scorned. But here, there is no second guess, these are clear cut cases. 

https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion/kerala-nun-rape-case-why-a-womans-conduct-is-not-the-point

 Kerala High Court and Church and film starts, I do believe there can be a nexus. Let's see what the supreme court has to say. 

Case1:

A trial court in Kottayam acquitted Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of having raped a nun as many as 13 times. It has been met with widespread cries of incredulity as it questioned her conduct.

The case, in brief, was that in June 2018, a 43-year-old nun from Kerala, also a Mother Superior belonging to the Missionaries of Jesus congregation based in Punjab, had filed a police complaint in Kottayam, claiming that Mulakkal, former head of the Latin Catholic diocese of Jalandhar, had raped her several times between 2014 and 2016.

Mulakkal was arrested only in September 2018, after five nuns sat on an indefinite hunger strike at a public square in front of the Kerala High Court, demanding the arrest of the bishop. He got bail a month later. The question of getting justice for hapless women against powerful men and institutions becomes particularly important in light of the fact that one of the first things Mulakkal did after his acquittal was meet then-MLA PC George. The latter was quick to remark, “A move to dent the powerful church was foiled by believers.” It may be recalled that George has had been supporting Mulakkal since the beginning, and in September 2018, he was summoned by the National Commission of Women for his remark, “No one has any doubt that the nun is a prostitute. Twelve times she enjoyed it and the thirteenth time it is rape? Why didn’t she complain the first time?” Sister Jesme, who walked out of the congregation questioning alleged ill-treatment by church authorities, also points out that soon after the victim had filed a police complaint, there was a concerted social media attack on her by people close to the church. In other words, it had become a fight of a lonely nun against the church.

The prosecution has decided to file an appeal . the court looked at all the reasons not to believe the nun rather than believe her. According to the court, the infighting, rivalry and desire for power of the nuns were evident from the victim and her supporting nuns agreeing to settle the matter if their demands for a separate region under the diocese of Bihar was accepted by the church. But for a woman to make an allegation of having been raped 13 times, staking her honour, career and everything else merely because of a power struggle in the church is difficult to believe.

Case2:

Dileep, I have heard so many stories of him orgies etc in Cochin, he is manipulative - First wife, Manju, Bhavana,  Kavya; and then Abduction and assault case. Bhavana and Manju Warrier have remained close friends. Reportedly, it was the Bhavana who told Manju about Dileep's affair with actress Kavya Madhavan. In their messy divorce, the Bhavana took Manju's side. Reportedly, Dileep planned the entire assault to settle scores with her and wanted to film the assault so he could blackmail her, and it was done on 17th Feb. 2017. 

In June 2017, Dileep and his director-friend Nadirsha were grilled by the investigating team for 13 hours. On June 19 that year, he was arrested and was kept in the Aluva sub-jail. After getting his bail plea rejected multiple times, he was granted bail on October 3, 2017, after spending 85 days in Jail. In the 650-page charge sheet, the investigation team named Dileep as the eighth accused. Meanwhile, many actresses expressed solidarity with the survivor, and they had to face the consequences. In June 2018, he filed a petition in the Kerala High Court charging the Kerala Police of deliberately framing him. He requested the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Dileep filed an additional plea for accessing video footage of the incident. The plea was denied by both the Angamaly Magistrate Court and the Kerala High Court. In October 2018, Dileep was granted bail by the Kerala High Court. 

In April 2019, the Government of Kerala froze charges against him until the court has given an independent verdict on the case. In May 2019, the Supreme Court stayed his trial until his plea for footage is considered. On 30 November, the court turned down his plea, rather allowed to inspect its content, or have a second opinion as to whether the video is genuine. In December 2021, the trial was nearing an end. But, Dileep's former friend and director Balachandra Kumar's statement came as a turning point. He alleged that Dileep was in possession of the visuals of the assault even before he saw it at the Magistrate's court. The director also released audio clips in which Dileep and his men allegedly planned to attack the police officials. Balachandra Kumar also revealed that a VIP was allegedly involved in this.The Kerala government approached the Supreme Court seeking an extension of six months to finish the trial. The trial court asked for the probe to be completed by January 20. Raids were conducted at Dileep's Aluva house after a fresh FIR was registered based on the clips released by the director. Dileep's brother, Anoop, and brother-in-law Sooraj were named as the second and third accused. Now an anticipatory bail has been granted to actor Dileep and other accused in the case of conspiracy against investigation officials of the actor assault case.

Interestingly, Dileep and Mulakkal have the same lawyer Raman Pillai. In India, the legal system that is supposed to deliver justice is just another tool to tire and victimise you. Incidentally, the selection of Raman Pillai also has evoked a curious connection the advocate had with actor Dileep: Earlier, Pillai had appeared for Nishal Chandra, the former husband of actress Kavya whom Dileep later married. 

Yet, we dare hope, we dare seek justice. Even if today seems dark, we hope for a better tomorrow.

“Praise the Lord!” Mulakkal is reported to have said.

Indeed. Is there anything else cooking up behind these?

Toofan to aana hai

Aakar chale jaana hai

Baadal hai yeh kuchh pal ka

Chhaa kar dhal jaana hai

Parchhaiyan reh jaati

Reh jaati nishani hai

Zindagi aur kuchh bhi nahi

Teri meri kahani hai