Kochi: The Special Investigation Team of Kerala police has filed a chargesheet against four, including three priests, in the case of alleged forgery of documents to defame Cardinal George Alencherry, head of the Syro-Malabar Church.

According to the chargesheet, filed December 19 before Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Kakkanad, the first accused is Father Antony Kallookaran of St Joseph Church, Karukutty.

The second accused is Father Paul Thelakkat of Renewal Centre, Kaloor, and the third accused is Father Benny John Maramparambil of St Joseph Church, Kadavanthra. The fourth accused is Adithya Z Valavi of Konthuruthy.

During the probe, the police arrested only Adithya, a post graduate from Indian Institute of Technology.

Fathers Kallookaran and Thelakkat avoided arrest by availing anticipatory bail from the Kerala High Court.

Adithya’s arrest triggered protests after three bishops of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese came out openly claiming that he was not a criminal and had no role in forging documents. They also alleged he was tortured and forced to make statements against other priests in connection with the case.

In the chargesheet, the probe team submitted that the accused had fabricated documents to target the cardinal who was not found operating any account in the bank named in the documents. The chargesheet also said that it had recovered digital evidence, including emails, sent by the accused, and the laptop used to make fabricated documents in the name of various firms to defame the cardinal.

Police launched the probe after Father Joby Maprakavil, executive director of Syro-Malabar Internet Mission, filed a complaint in February 2019 that Bishop Jacob Manathodath, apostolic administrator of the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Ernakulam Angamaly, and Father Paul Thelakkat, former official spokesman, had forged documents to defame the cardinal.

This particular forgery complaint came at a time when the cardinal was facing allegations of illegal land deals and a magistrate court charging a case against him after considering complaints against him on illegal transactions of land owned by the Church.

The three priests mentioned in the chargesheet had led protests relating to the controversial land deals of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese. The forgery case is expected to help the official faction of the Syro-Malabar Church to further defend Cardinal Alencherry.

However, an Archdiocese faction expressed outrage over the move by the Church against its priests and termed the chargesheet as a diversionary tactic to avoid restitution of losses incurred by the Archdiocese in the land deals.

The spokesperson of the priests’ body of the archdiocese, Father Jose Vailikodath stated that they are sure that the truth will come out in the court and that the innocent would be set free. A series of meetings chaired by newly appointed metropolitan vicar of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese were held recently in connection with the financial losses incurred in the land deals. He is entrusted with the task of finding a solution to the losses.

A detailed report on the losses and those responsible for the losses were submitted by the 12-member committee – including priests and laity of the Archdiocese – to the permanent Synod of the Church. It is in this backdrop that the chargesheet was submitted,” stated Father Vailikodath.

Meanwhile, Binu Chacko, president of the Catholic Forum, a laity group supporting the cardinal, said that the chargesheet was still incomplete. Chacko alleged that an auxiliary bishop and five more priests were part of the conspiracy.

However, Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency (AMT), a laity group that was on the forefront in the land deal row agitations, said that ahead of the upcoming Synod in January, the cardinal faction is trying to divert attention from the land deals and restitution.

“The chargesheet was just a last-minute attempt to save the face of a man who has been an accused in over 16 cases. Seeing that the restitution would be presented in the upcoming Synod in January, the cardinal faction has given a counter case against those who raised their voices against him and his wrongdoings,” said AMT general secretary Riju Kanjoorkaran.

The clean chit to the cardinal was mentioned in a closure report filed on October 28 by the crime branch that surfaced December 19.

The police in the report have requested the court to consider the case as closed as their investigation has revealed that the case was registered due to a ‘Mistake by fact.’

The report submitted is among the 16 cases relating to the controversial land deals. The report stated that there was no evidence to prove the allegations against the Cardinal.

“The police had failed to properly investigate the case and therefore we have decided to approach the court for a re-investigation under judicial supervision. The clean chit given to the Cardinal cannot be accepted. Many factors were ignored by the police,” said Kanjoorkaran.

Source: The Indian Express