Missionaries of Charity Vindicated After Eight-Year Child Trafficking Case Ordeal

Ranchi, June 18, 2026: In a landmark judgment that brings closure to one of the most painful legal battles faced by the Church in recent years, the Ranchi Civil Court has acquitted a Missionaries of Charity nun and two others in the much-publicised 2018 child trafficking case, declaring them not guilty after nearly eight years of legal proceedings.

The case centred on allegations that a 14-day-old infant had been sold for ₹50,000 from a Missionaries of Charity-run home in Ranchi. The accusations led to the arrest of Missionaries of Charity nun Sr. Concilia and triggered intense scrutiny of the congregation’s institutions across Jharkhand. Sr. Concilia spent three years in prison before obtaining bail.

Reacting to the verdict, Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, former Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) and Bishop of Daltonganj, described the judgment as a triumph of truth, perseverance and faith.

“This has taken eight years to get cleared,” Bishop Mascarenhas said. “Today, after years of suffering, prayer and perseverance, truth has prevailed.”

The bishop recalled that the allegations had far-reaching consequences for the congregation’s ministry. Following the arrests, authorities closed another Missionaries of Charity home in Hinoo that housed 24 infants, while several other institutions run by the congregation reportedly faced investigations and harassment.

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“The police had widely publicised the allegations, and the repercussions were felt in almost every house run by the Missionaries of Charity,” he said.

Despite the challenges, the sisters continued their ministry among the poor, the abandoned and the vulnerable, even as the case remained pending in the courts.

Bishop Mascarenhas noted that securing bail for Sr. Concilia itself had been a lengthy struggle. “It took us three years to get bail for her,” he said, adding that he had personally accompanied the legal process over the years together with Sr. Sebastino MC and other supporters.

The Civil Court pronounced its verdict on June 18, acquitting Sr. Concilia and the two co-accused. While the detailed judgment is awaited, the court ruled that the accused were not guilty of the charges brought against them.

In a statement issued after the verdict, Bishop Mascarenhas expressed gratitude to God and thanked advocate Sunil Shrivastava, Adv. Anil Kant, Sr. Sebastino MC, Vepul Kaiser, members of the legal team, and numerous well-wishers who stood by the sisters throughout the prolonged legal battle.

He also acknowledged the steadfast leadership of Sr. Prema MC, then Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, and Sr. Joseph MC, the present Superior General, for guiding the congregation through years of uncertainty and public criticism.

The judgment has been welcomed by many within the Church as a significant moment of vindication for the Missionaries of Charity, the congregation founded by Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Church leaders say the ruling restores confidence in the congregation’s longstanding commitment to serving society’s most vulnerable.

For the Missionaries of Charity and their supporters, the verdict marks not only the end of a difficult chapter but also a reaffirmation of faith in justice after years of trial and endurance.

By Catholic Connect Reporter