Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday criticised Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry in connection with the controversial land deal in Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese.
The court asked Alencherry whether the formation of a Trust to conduct the land deal was done to cheat the nation. When the case was considered last time, Cardinal Alencherry’s advocate had taken the stand that the Church’s assets cannot be considered as public property. The cardinal’s advocate had also told the court that a third person cannot intervene even if there is loss in the land deal.
However, income tax documents which prove this contention wrong, has reached the court. In this scenario, the court asked why the registration was obtained as per the public charitable trust. Cardinal Alencherry’s advocate responded that the registration was done for tax concession. At the juncture, the court asked whether such a registration was done to cheat the nation.
The formation of the Trust to conduct the land deal alone and to obtain tax concession will be considered as equal to cheating the nation. It is in this scenario that the court raised the important question.
source: Mathrubhoomi