By Matters India Reporter
Madurai, Feb 15, 2022: The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on February 15 granted bail to a Catholic bishop and five priests who are in judicial custody for alleged charges of illegal sand mining.
Bishop Samuel Mar Irenios Kaattukallil of Pathanamthitta Syro-Malankara Church and the priests were arrested on February 6 on charges of illegal sand mining by the crime branch officials in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, southern India.
They were remanded to judicial custody, but Bishop Irenios and Father Jose Chamakala were admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Tirunelveli after they fell ill. Both are reportedly cancer patients.
Other priests – vicar general Father Shaji Thomas Manikulam, George Samuel, Jijo James, and Jose Kalaviyal — have been lodged in Nanguneri sub jail in Tirunelveli.
“It is true that our bishop and the priests got bail today, but we have not got the order copy,” a priest from the diocese told Matters India on condition of anonymity.
The single bench of Justice K Murali Shankar granted the bail to the accused on the condition that they should co-operate with the investigation team whenever the required.
The court also took note of the fact that Bishop Samuel Mar Irenios and Father Chamakalayil were suffering from cancer and were under treatment. All of them have pleaded that they were innocent and were not involved in the alleged crime.
They further pointed out that the main accused in the case, one Manuvel George, a resident of Kottayam district in Kerala, had been granted anticipatory bail by the High Court.
The court directed the petitioners to appear before the crime branch officials regularly for inquiry. However, taking note of the medical condition of Bishop Irenios and Father Chamakalayil, the court directed them to appear before the investigating officials as and when required.
Earlier a statement from Father Joel P John Poweth, the public relations officer of the Pathanamthitta diocese, said the diocese owns 300 acres of land on the Ambasamudram taluq in Tirunelveli district. This town is situated in the foothills of Western Ghats on the northern bank of Tamirabarani river.
Father Poweth points out that the diocese had leased its land in Tirunelveli to George for cultivation. “The diocesan officials could not go there for the past two years because of the Covid pandemic,” he explains.
When the diocese came to know that Manuel George had breached the contract, it initiated legal action to remove him from the contract, Father Poweth says.
George, however, took advantage of the absence of diocesan officials there and indulged in large scam illegal sand mining.
The Tahsildar of Ambasamudram conducted an inspection following complaints from the local residents and found illegal sand mining activities. The Sub-Collector of Cheranmadadevi also inspected the site, and George was imposed a fine of 95.7 million rupees.
In 2021, the High Court ordered a Crime Branch –Criminal Investigation Department to probe the case following complaints against the local police.
The court noted that government officials from various departments were involved and facilitated the illegal sand mining. The court observed that the main accused, George, illegally transported sand to Kerala for commercial purposes.
The court, however, granted anticipatory bail to George after he agreed to cooperate with the officials in the inquiry. The court also granted anticipatory bail to a few other accused in the case with certain conditions.
Earlier two subordinate courts had denied bail to them.