TIRUNELVELI/PATHANAMTHITTA: In a major setback for Pathanamthitta eparchy of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, the bail application filed by Bishop Samuel Mar Irenios, who has been arraigned as an accused in a case pertaining to illegal sand mining from the Thamirabarani river near Pottal in Ambasamudram, was rejected by the Tirunelveli district court on Friday.
The bishop’s bail application was earlier rejected by the judicial first class magistrate court where the Tamil Nadu Crime Branch-CID has filed an FIR arraigning the bishop, vicar-general Shaji Thomas Manikulam and four other priests as accused.
The bail pleas moved by all six was opposed by the prosecution saying the probe was in a crucial phase and interrogation of accused in custody was essential. The prosecution argued that as two of the key accused are in hospital, interrogation couldn’t be completed.