KOCHI: The High Court has directed District Collector S Suhas to take over the Mulanthuruthy church.
Justice A Muhammed Musthaque issued the order on a contempt of court petition filed by Fr Geo George, vicar of the Orthodox faction, against the authorities concerned for not complying with the order issued by the court.
The court also said that if the collector feels that sufficient police personnel cannot be deployed on account of their deployment for Covid-related duties, he shall wait till such period to hand over the church to the petitioners. “At any rate, the church’s affairs shall not be in the hands of the Jacobite faction vicar. If the district collector, in consultation with the district police officer, is of the view that necessary police protection can be given to the petitioners for the administration of the church, he shall hand over the church to the petitioners,” the court said.
The court said that despite the Supreme Court judgment and the High Court’s directives, the petitioners were not in a position to function and discharge their duties.“The court cannot shut its eyes to such blatant violation of the rule of law,” it said.