By Matters India Reporter
Jalandhar, April 1, 2019: Jalandhar diocese’s Pope-appointed administrator on April 1 clarified that an institution raided by police recently does not belong to the diocese, although managed by its priests.
The Enforcement Directorate on March 29 raided “Sahodaya” (rising together) and allegedly recovered huge amount of unaccounted money. They then detained its director Father Antony Madassery along with three others.
The police released the 46-year-old priest and others at 5 am on March 30 after interrogating him for hours, Bishop Agnelo Gracias, the Jalandhar administrator, says in “An important clarification.”
The prelate also clarifies that Sahodaya is a group of companies “with some priests who belong to our diocese as partners with due permission. It is within the ambit of the law. The accounts are audited and income tax is paid in advance.”
According to him, Sahodaya’s various activities include supply of textbooks and smart boards for diocesan schools, training and employing security person in these schools, and constructing schools and churches.
Profits from these companies are used for social work such as widow pension, monthly stipend to every family with a disabled member, scholarship for deserving students, and medical aid for the sick. “The amount of charitable work being carried out is immense,” says Bishop Gracias.
The prelate says the raid took place on the same day Sahodaya finished collecting money from the sale of books to 70 odd schools in the diocese. It had already deposited 140 million rupees in the bank and the balance amount of 166.5 million rupees was to be deposited on March 29. “The staff and guard of the bank were there to take the money to the South Indian Bank to be deposited.”
At that time, the bishop adds, some 50 people armed with pistols and AK 47 without any search warrant trespassed in the priest’s residence and forcibly took away 166.5 million rupees. They “abducted” Father Madassery “at gun point.”
The bishop says 66.5 million rupees disappeared from the raiders’ hands as they submitted only 96.6 million rupees to Income Tax authorities.
Bishop Gracias says the priest has complained through email to various authorities in the state. “Sahodaya is waiting for action to be taken,” the prelate’s note adds.
The administrator concludes his clarification saying the statement was issued in the interest of truth since some priests of the diocese are involved.
Earlier on March 31, tribuneindia.com reported that the raids revealed that four priests run 400-million-rupee contract business.
It quoted Father Madassery as saying he runs the business with three partners — Fathers Jose Palakuzha, Paul and Shine.
The priest told a press conference on March 30 that they sell books at 45 counters outside private schools of Punjab.
To a question on how priests could indulge in business, Father Madassery said, “I can avail all my civil rights. I have every right to do a business. No Church has denied me this right. It is permissible as per the canon law.”
The Income Tax team reportedly suspects that the priest routs the unaccounted cash earned from his businesses through trusts and NGOs to convert them into white. Father Madassery, however, denied allegation of possessing black money.