'CRIMINAL' BISHOP - COURT GIVES ULTIMATUM TO CCB

Rs. 30 CRORE LAND SCAM

CCB GETS A MONTH'S TIME TO INVESTIGATE ROLE OF CSI BISHOP

by PRINCE JEBAKUMAR, THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, MADURAI DATED 25-03-2011 PAGE 2

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has been given one month's time to investigate the Rs. 30 Crore land scam involving CSI Bishop of Madurai-Ramand Diocese A. Christopher Asir. The ruling was passed by Judicial Magistrate Muthukumaran of JM1 here today.

The petitioner Christopher Salmond (80 years old) of Pasumalai, had moved the inspector to investigate and register a case on the basis of the petitioner's complaint dated August 2, last year (2010) and (again in) December 9, last year if cognizable offences had been committed. He said that on May 15, 1913, seven acres of at Ratchanyapuram in Tallakulam village was assigned to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission, the predecessor of the CSI, by the District Collector with certain conditions - one among them being that the land should be used for professional purposes only and SHOULD NOT BE SOLD. The presemnt worth of the land was around Rs 30 crore.

On December 31, 1973, the land was transferred to CSI Trust Association (CSITA) and subsequently brought under the administrative control of the diocese. The CSITA management committee had granted power of attorney to two persons, including the Bishop to enable them to sell the property.

The petitioner had averted that the present Bishop A. Christopher Asir, Secretary of CSITA, Pauline Sathyamoorthy, treasurer Kasthuri and moderator Suganthar were involved in a criminal conspiracy and sold the government assigned land fraudulantly.

The land was sold well below the guideline value and in this manner itself Rs. 20 crore had gone down the drain. The said money had been paid as graft to the Bishop and his family.

Advocates R. Diravianathan, G. David Jerald and P. Allen who appeared for the counsel prayed to the Magistrate to intervene and issue directions to the CCB to investigate the case under the section 156(3) of The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc). Hearing the arguments, the Magistrate ordered the CCB to investigate the case and file a report on or before April 28 (2011).