By Matters India Reporter
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on August 12 said that Cardinal George Alencherry must face trial in the land deal case.
The court upheld the verdict of a district sessions court that on August 24, 2019, asked the cardinal and two others to stand trial in the case.
The court has dismissed six petitions submitted by Cardinal Alencherry.
Both the High Court and the district court observed prima facie evidence of Cardinal Alencherry’s involvement in the land deal. Although eight cases were registered against the cardinal, the district court served summons in only six cases.
The cardinal then approached the High Court seeking immediate intervention to nullify the summons and avoid the trial.
Cardinal Alencherry, who heads the Syro-Malabar Church as its major archbishop, now plans to appeal the Supreme Court against the high court order.
The criminal case against the cardinal was registered in April 2019 by the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kakkanad, another Kochi suburb where the Syro-Malabar headquarters in situated. He was accused of blatant violations of the law and rampant discrepancies observed in the land deals.
On August 24, 2019, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court ruled that Cardinal Alencherry and two others must face trial in connection with the land deals.
The order was based on a complaint filed by Joshy Varghese, a member of St Mary’s Church, Perumbavoor, under the archdiocese.
The case centers on a 60-cent property near Bharat Mata College, Thrikkakkara, a Kochi suburb, that was sold to a real-estate broker Saju Varghese Kunnel. The cardinal, archdiocese’s former finance officer Father Joshy Puthuva and Saju were the first, second and third accused in the case.
Meanwhile, the Income Tax department has imposed an additional fine of 35 million rupees on the archdiocese.
The investigation into the Church’s land dealings had discovered that the price shown in the papers were far lower than the market rate.
The case was registered following an order from the high court single judge bench on a writ petition filed by Shine Varghese, a member of the Church.
justice takes a while ,however it will finally prevail.0nly hope this criminal doesn’t kick the bucket prior to enjoying jail hospitality
The more you dig, the more skeletons will come out of the “corrupt church authorities”. Alencherry’s case been long pending. Hope the case comes to an end soon.
All these accused ones like Alencherry, Franco and William still continue to hide themselves inside their so called “holy robes”. SHAME ON THEM!
The time will come soon when all these accused culprits will be “DEFROCKED”.
Someone told me that the prime land in Kolkata city is owned by Christians and there are too many..! Obviously it is not that the church bought prime land but due to Church and schools the land became prime..! Some groups find it difficult to understand this phenomena and raise a lot of issues and try to create unrest.
Coming days are going to be more challenging for the Christians all over India just like our Muslim brothers and sisters
As Bishop Titu said, they said let’s pray! So we closed the eye’s, when we opened, they had our land and we had the Bible.
These are selling the property donated by faithfuls who actually had some vision for the community. These in white and black cascok didn’t do anything for the community nor improved the life of youngsters, but looting money.
Why not there be a financial committee with lay person from different parish is involved and have a charter of authority defined.
chhotebhai is dead right. Slowly but surely a can of worms is opening. Even the Minority Card is not coming handy. Kerala High Court is doing one wonderful job after another in unravelling the mysteries of the Catholic Church.
Please note only bishops can afford to go to High Courts and the Supreme Court. We worldly poor laity cannot afford this.
If he is using diocesan funds to fight his case and he loses then all such monies should be recovered from his personal funds.
This is SERIOUS and the High Court has found it to be a prima facie case of financial misappropriation. Already we have a cardinal in Rome facing trial for a dubious property deal in London.
I also have credible information that Bishop William of Mysore is hell bent on selling a 300 acre coffee estate in Yercaud that belongs to the diocese.
Perhaps like the cunning steward in the Bible he is feathering his nest anticipating being removed from the diocese after the Apostolic Visitation (Enquiry Committee) submits it’s second report to the Nuncio.