Indian court acquits bishop of charge of raping nun

By ASHOK SHARMA and KRUTIKA PATHI
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — An Indian court has acquitted a Roman Catholic bishop of charges of raping a nun in her rural convent, a case that became a major issue amid allegations of sexual harassment in the church. The judge said the bishop was not guilty of charges that he repeatedly raped the nun between 2014 and 2016. Bishop Franco Mulakkal was present in the court in Kottayam, a southern Indian city. Supporters cheered and chanted “Praise the Lord” as he left the court. Prosecutors will appeal. Police charged Mulakkal with rape, illegal confinement and intimidation of the nun. She said she went to police only after complaining repeatedly to church authorities. Eventually, a group of fellow nuns launched unprecedented public protests to demand Mulakkal’s arrest in 2018.