The case involved the rape of a Kerala nun of the Kuravilangad convent
Bishop Franco Mulakkal, former head of the Latin Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar was acquitted of all charges relating to rape and sexual abuse of a Kerala nun by Additional District and sessions court in Kottayam. The verdict came as a shock to supporters of the victim as the case had garnered a lot of media attention and several people had come forward to support the victim. Many campaigns and agitations were organised against the Bishop and against the Catholic system from which the nuns received no support. Based on the rape complaint that was filed by the victim in 2018, the Bishop was imprisoned for 25 days . The trial started in November 2019 and ended on January 10th 2022. The Catholic nuns supporting the victim have said that the fight is not over and that they will approach the high court for justice. “The victim did not get justice. Though we had the support of the police and the prosecution, the judiciary has failed to deliver justice. We will continue to fight come what may,” they said. Meanwhile Bishop Franco and his supporters cheered and welcomed the verdict that acquitted him due to lack of evidence. The Bishop response was ‘Praise the Lord’ after he was acquitted.
