Kochi: Save Our Sisters (SOS Action Council) who are at the forefront in the fight for justice for 44-year old nun raped by Bishop Franco Mulakkal have told GoaChronicle.com that the details in the application presented in the Kottayam Trial Court by the legal advisors of the rape accused with regards to COVID-19 are fraudulent and false.
When the Kottayam Trial Court summoned the case on July 13, 2020 morning at 10.30, the advocate of the accused informed the court that Bishop Franco Mulakkal was absent and requested for leave. Reason for leave was that his swab had been collected for COVID-19 test. But the test report says that the sample was collected at 11.50 am on July 13th. In fact, Bishop Franco’s legal team lied in the court that the swab sample had been already collected even before the court commenced working.
Four documents were presented in the court, of which the second one was said to be a medical certificate. But it was only an OPD slip from SBLS Taluk hospital.
Third document was the specimen referral form by the doctor for TRUENAT test. Actually TRUENAT test is for emergency purposes only. A genuine referral letter by the doctor in the specified format. It is proven that both these documents are forged/fraudulent. Kottayam Trial Court was misinformed.
The referral letter is signed by Dr. Tarsel Lal. His telephone number is also included therein. When contacted, Dr. Lal informed SOS that he had never issued such a referral letter to Franco.
Hence, it is clear that Bishop Franco Mulakkal has forged the referral letter.
SOS Action Council team contacted Dr. Sethi, the VRDL centre director at Govt. hospital, Jalandhar to get details about the referral letter. He informed that it was only on the basis of the referral letter by Dr. Tarsel Lal, permission was granted for Truenat test. It was not Dr. Sethi, but ENT surgeon, who collected the swab from Franco.
On enquiry, Dr. Harinder Pal Singh, head of the Govt. Hospital Jalandhar, said that PCL test had been conducted for Franco, and the result was negative. Franco consciously concealed this fact from the Hon. Court.
Another stunningly important fact revealed by Dr Harinder is that it was Dr. Alfred, who works in the department of microbiology who drafted the referral letter. He forged the referral letter using the name and signature of another doctor. Dr Alfred had been served notice, seeking explanation. He also informed that the test was positive, while he was unsure of the authenticity of the sample. Only Dr Alfred and the technician know the truth.
SOS Action Council has demanded that Bishop Franco Mulackal should be immediately arrested and tested for Covid-19, and if needed, should be kept under hospital police custody.
