Police to probe cheating charges against 2 bishops OF CSI

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Police-to-probe-cheating-charges-against-2-bishops/articleshow/46671843.cms

A Subburaj| TNN | Mar 24, 2015, 10.01 AM IST

COIMBATORE: 

The Coimbatore crime branch (CCB) police has registered an FIR against Timothy Ravinder, CSI bishop, Coimbatore diocese, G.Devakadasham, CSI bishop, Kanyakumari diocese and 19 others for cheating. Police will start their probe from Tuesday.

E Premkumar, 47, a member of Church of South India (CSI) from Perundurai in Erode, lodged a complaint with CCB police on Sunday.

He said in his complaint that CSI Christ Church, Gandhipuram had 9.36 cents of land that was donated by a couple, Dhambusamy and Rajammal, for the construction of an old age home in 1979. As per CSI Trust Association's rules, the church management cannot sell or buy property.

However, the 9.36 cents of land was sold to a realtor Muthusamy alias Bose of Saibaba Colony on June 4, 2012. The land was sold for 1.56 crore. As per the market value, the land worth was 5.67 crore. "The rest of the money has not been accounted," said Premkumar.

In another instance, the authorities bought land worth 1.72 crore for CSI Christ Church, Gandhipuram, on May 14, 2012. But, the church's minute book claimed that the authorities spent 3.11 crore to buy the land. So, the authorities had cheated the trust of 1.39 crore, he said.

In the third instance that Premkumar has listed, during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 financial year, the audited statements of accounts say 4.1 crore was collected in donations to build an old age home. "All the donations were received as unaccounted money. The authorities were involved in illegal money transactions and cheated the trust and the government," said Premkumar.

Based on his complaint, the police has registered an FIR against Reverend Prince Calvin from CSI Christ Church, Gandhipuram, former church secretary Thangaiah, treasurer Ravi Inbasing, and committee members Ravichandran, Jeyachandran, Devasahayam, Leelawilson, Dhinakaran, Rajesh, Jancy Solomon, Christhu Dhass, Jeyabalan. CSI Coimbatore diocese honorary treasurer S David Mangaladoss said a high-level committee from the CSI authorities in Chennai had already conducted a detailed probe into the matter and would announce the findings soon.