Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 19: In a landmark judgment, a civil court in Ranchi, Jharkhand, has acquitted a member of the Missionaries of Charity and two others in connection with a child trafficking case that had drawn national attention since 2018.
The court on June 18 declared Missionaries of Charity Sr Concilia and her two co-accused not guilty, bringing to an end a legal battle that lasted nearly eight years.
The case centred on allegations that a 14-day-old baby had been sold for Rs 50,000 from a home run by the Missionaries of Charity in Ranchi. The allegations led to the arrest of Sr Concilia and triggered extensive investigations into facilities operated by the congregation across Jharkhand.
Sr Concilia spent three years in prison before being granted bail. The case also led to widespread media scrutiny of the Missionaries of Charity, the religious congregation founded by Saint Teresa of Calcutta, popularly known as Mother Teresa.
At the time, Sr Mary Prema, then superior general of the congregation, had strongly rejected the allegations and criticised what she described as myths, distorted information, false news, and baseless insinuations surrounding the case.
Reacting to the verdict, Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas of Daltonganj, former general secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), described the ruling as a victory for truth, perseverance and faith.
“This has taken eight years to get cleared. Today, after years of suffering, prayer and perseverance, truth has prevailed,” Bishop Mascarenhas said.
He noted that the allegations had far-reaching consequences for the congregation's pastoral and charitable work. Following the arrests, authorities closed a second Missionaries of Charity home in Hinoo that housed 24 newborns, while several other facilities run by the congregation were reportedly subjected to investigations and scrutiny.
“The police had widely publicised the allegations, and the repercussions were felt in almost every house run by the Missionaries of Charity,” the bishop said.
Despite the legal challenges, the congregation continued its work among the poor, abandoned and vulnerable sections of society throughout the period the case remained before the courts.
Bishop Mascarenhas also recalled the lengthy struggle to secure bail for Sr Concilia, saying it took three years and involved sustained efforts by supporters, legal teams and members of the congregation.
Following the verdict, the bishop expressed gratitude to God and thanked advocates Sunil Shrivastava and Anil Kant, Sr Sebastino MC, Vepul Kaiser, members of the legal team and numerous supporters who stood by the congregation during the prolonged legal proceedings.
He also acknowledged the leadership of Sr Mary Prema MC, the then Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, and Sr Joseph MC, the current superior general, for guiding the congregation through years of uncertainty and intense public scrutiny.
Church leaders across India welcomed the judgment, describing it as a significant vindication for the Missionaries of Charity and a reaffirmation of the congregation’s longstanding commitment to serving the most vulnerable sections of society.
For the Missionaries of Charity and their supporters, the verdict marks the end of a difficult chapter and a restoration of faith in the justice system after years of legal struggle.