KOCHI: The controversial land deal of the Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese has returned to haunt Cardinal George Alencherry with the judicial first class magistrate at Kakkanad directing the police to register another criminal case against him based on a complaint filed by Joshy Varghese of Perumbavoor. Along with Cardinal George Alencherry of the Syro-Malabar Church, the then finance officer of Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese Fr Joshy Pothuva also will be booked in the case.
According to sources, the charges were invoked under section 406 (criminal breach of trust), 423 (dishonest or fraudulent execution of deed of transfer containing a false statement of consideration) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC.
Land deal: 7 complaintshave been filed in court
The complainant said: “A total of seven complaints have been filed in the court. The court’s direction came over the controversial land deal of 30 cents given by Alexian Brothers, a Belgiumbased congregation, at Kakkanad for charitable purposes. The land was sold by the Cardinal and Fr Joshy Pothuva for `1.12 crore per cent without seeking any permission from the Church committees. The sale amount was not shown in any accounts of the Archdiocese.” As per V Rajendran, counsel for the complainant, the court has summoned the accused to appear before the court on December 31.
Earlier in April, the same court had directed the police to register a criminal case against the Cardinal on the sale of over 60 cents at Kakkanad. “There are five pending cases before the court in the controversial land deals by the Archdiocese in Kakkanad,” said Joshy. He added that the Alexian Brothers had given the land to the Archdiocese for charitable purposes but that they sold it for commercial purposes. Meanwhile, in the wake of the case registered against the Cardinal, the Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency (AMT) asked the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church to dismiss the Cardinal from all his official duties till legal action was initiated against him.