Church Treasurer Convicted for Cheating

Wikipedia

The additional district sessions court -VI of Madurai has sentenced the secretary/ treasurer of the Indian Evangelical Church Council (IELC), Baul Sundar on charges against cheating by personation and forgery in selling IELC's several crores worth properties situated in the city. He will undergo prison term under various Sections which will run concurrently for one year.

Judge B. Rajavel of the additional district and sessions did not fully charge him with the order of the trial court (judicial magistrate court - V, Madurai), which had prosecuted him under Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent), 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will etc) and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) of Indian Penal Code.

Instead the judge partly allowed the appeal filed against the prosecution, acquitting Sundar from all charges.

"The trial court failed to ascertain the documents and evidence in a proper way. Thus, it is of the considered view that the trial court's order warrants intervention of the appellate court in the case. Thus, the appeal is partly allowed. The charges under Sections 409, 420 and 467 were not proved and charges under Sections 419 and 468 were proved beyond reasonable doubt," said the judge.

While the maximum imprisonment under Section 419 is for three years and under Section 468 is for seven years, the judge awarded him imprisonment for a term of one year each.

"The respondent (Baul Sundar) pleads for minimum punishment by claiming that he had not committed any mistake personally and it was the IELC which passed resolution for sale of the properties. Considering his submission and the weight of the case, the court gives him each one year imprisonment for Sections 419 and 468 and orders him to undergo the term concurrently," said the judge, according to TOI.