THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the enforcement directorate raided his official residence and three other places and questioned him for 13 hours, Dharmaraj Rasalam, moderator of CSI and bishop of its South Kerala diocese (SKD), was not allowed to board a flight to the UK from Thiruvananthapuram airport on Tuesday morning.Bishop Rasalam was told about the ED’s lookout notice by the emigration department officials when he reached the airport to board a connecting flight to the UK early morning. It is learnt that he was directed to appear at the ED’s office in Kochi for questioning on Wednesday.
Bishop Rasalam and Bishop B N Fen of CSI Church, Aluva, were scheduled to travel to the UK to attend the Lambeth conference being held once every 10 years at the University of Kent from Tuesday to August 8. According to Church sources, 23 bishops from across the country left for the UK on Tuesday.
According to V T Mohanan, complainant in the cases against the bishop and son of former CPM legislator V J Thankappan, a lookout notice has been issued against Bishop Rasalam; Dr Bennet Abraham, director of Dr Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College, Karakonam; and T T Praveen, administrative secretary of CSI South Kerala diocese. The lookout notice was sent to all airports in the state.
“Praveen and his family have been absconding since ED officials reached here on Sunday evening. The bank accounts of Bishop Rasalam, Bennett Abraham and Praveen have been frozen. On Tuesday also, the ED raid continued at the bishop’s office at LMS Junction, the education department office at the bishop’s office and also at the Polio Home. Staff at the Polio Home, including five women, were also interrogated,” said Mohanan.Complaints against the bishop and others include collecting hefty amounts as capitation fee for the medical college admissions and misusing donations received for charity purposes.
CHURCH REMAINS TIGHT-LIPPED
It is reliably learnt that Bishop Rasalam reached Kochi to appear before the investigating officials of ED on Wednesday. On Monday, the CSI Church authorities had maintained that the ED officials had not got any incriminating evidence against Bishop Rasalam. The Church remained tight-lipped about Tuesday’s developments.