After almost three years, the trial of Bishop Mulakkal for the rape of a nun ended with an acquittal, despite many expecting a conviction. While the prosecution was unable to prove the charges, the case will go down in India’s legal history
After the court's judgment, the defence lawyers had claimed that the interview and examination of senior journalist Abhilash Mohan as a 'defence witness' proved crucial in the Bishop's acquittal.
Bishop Franco Mulakkal was found not guilty on charges of rape. But now the Kerala Catholic Church has been left seriously divided, with some asking whether the church has too much power.
This is equally a fight against insensitive and patriarchal judicial blinkers that dehumanise a victim of rape and expect her to abide by a preconceived code of conduct as a "sterling witness".