This archive report was first published on 30 November 2019.
On November 30, 2019, a landmark case in the Catholic Church's history of sexual abuse began in Kottayam, Kerala state, as Indian Bishop Franco Mulakkal went on trial for raping a nun.
While the Catholic Church has faced numerous sexual assault and abuse cases worldwide, Mulakkal is the first Indian clergy to face trial for such a crime.
According to the charges, Mulakkal raped the nun multiple times between 2014 and 2016 while serving as the head of the Missionaries of Jesus order.
Mulakkal, who was arrested in October 2018 and granted bail, has denied the accusations. If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in jail.
The case has sparked widespread attention and protests from the nun and her supporters, who claim that the Church hierarchy failed to take the case seriously.
The Kerala police have filed a 100-page report on the case, which includes statements from nuns, priests, and other bishops.
