Kerala Syro-Malabar Church land row: Cardinal Mar George Alencherry gets laity’s backing

KOCHI: Syro-Malabar Church head Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, who is facing heat over alleged sale of church properties at throwaway prices, received support from a section of the faithful on Sunday.
The laity, numbering nearly 200, marched towards the Bishop’s House raising slogans and prayers supporting the Cardinal.

They also knelt down on the road near the Bishop’s House to pray for Alencherry, who has been under intense pressure from a section of priests, who are demanding he step down following the Kerala High Court order to register a criminal case against him and conduct a probe.

Meanwhile, the laity members released documents which showed Mar Sebastian Adayantharath, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, was fully aware of the sale and purchase of land near Perumbavoor.

In the email dated March 8, 2017, a copy of which is with ‘Express’, Adayantharath tells Fr Joshy Puthuva, the procurator of the Archdiocese, to review the deal to buy 70 acres of land for a total cost of Rs 63 crore (Rs 90,000 per cent). In return, the Archdiocese will give away four pieces of its property, which include 58 cents near BMC at Rs 13.5 lakh per cent (Rs 7.83 crore); 50 cents at Perumbavoor at Rs 28 lakh per cent (Rs 14 crore) and 38 cents near the stadium for Rs 18 lakh per cent (Rs 6.84 crore).

In the email signed by Adayantharath, a resolution was passed to “authorise, direct and empower” Fr Joshy Puthuva to execute “for and on behalf of this Archdiocese in its name, any and all documents required in connection with the sale of the property.”