In a big win to the Save Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency, the Kerala High Court on March 6 ordered the police here to register First Information Report (FIR) against the head of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Cardinal George Alencherry, and three others on a complaint alleging land deals irregularities involving them in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese.
Giving the verdict, Justice B. Kemal Pasha rejected the Cardinal's plea that the land belonged to the diocese and that a third party could not complain about the alleged loss in the sale of such a private property.
The court held that Alencherry was responsible to take care of the assets owned by the church and that any ordinary member of the society could seek action if any irregularities took place in the dealings of the Church assets.
The case will also be filed on Archdiocese procurator Joshy Puthuva and Sebastian Vadakumpadan – and a middleman, Saju Varghese, who was the real estate dealer in the sale.
