Kochi: The Inquiry Commission, which looked into the controversial land deal of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, has found that there were lapses on the part of the Syro-Malabar church in the deal.

According to the report of the Commission, the people concerned did not adhere to the canon law while effecting the land deal.

The Commission will table the report before a panel of priests who meet on Thursday.

The report also found lapses on the part of Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar George Alancherry, with whose knowledge the sale of the land belonging to the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese took place.

The major findings of the six-member Commission was that the land deal caused a loss of around Rs 40 crore to the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese.

The commission has been asked to submit a detailed report before January 31. However, it was decided to submit the report today due to the panel’s meeting. Apart from this, the report has sought details of the links the church maintained with the intermediary.

Earlier, it was proposed to forward a complaint to the Pope regarding the land deal. Today’s meeting is likely to discuss the future course of action.

It was Mar George Alancherry who signed all the documents relating to the land transaction.

Therefore, the matter is viewed as a fault on the part of the Syro-Malabar Church itself rather than that of the Archdiocese.

Mar George Alancherry is expected to participate in the panel meeting and is likely to give an explanation over the land deal row.

(Source: mathrubhumi)