The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Kolenchery registered a case against Jacobite Syrian Christian Church head Baselios Thomass I and church laity trustee Thambu George Thukalan on charges of cheating. The case was registered on the basis of a petition filed by Laity Forum working president Paul Varughese alleging that they had earned private assets by misusing positions as metropolitan trustee. Magistrate R Jayakrishnan charged the Catholicos and the trustee under IPC 406 (Criminal breach of trust) and IPC 409(Criminal breach of trust by public servant). It is alleged in the petition that the Catholicos purchased vehicles such as Benz, Toyota Fortuner, Innova and Force using the church fund and registered them in his name. Purchase of vehicles reportedly caused a loss of `2 crore for the church. Another case registered against Catholicos in 2012 for purchasing a Benz car in his name is pending before the same court