Express news service
KOCHI: Vicar and former beadle fight openly after thousands of rupees disappear from a church below the boundaries of Kurrupampady police station. Police launched a detailed investigation into the incident after the vicar and the old orchard filed complaints against each other for embezzlement.
Police said the incident involved allegations of embezzlement at St Thomas’ Roman Catholic Church in Pulluvazhy. The first case was registered on August 4 against former orchard Shijo Varghese, 35, who was also a lay administrator of the church during the period 2019-2021, based on a complaint filed by the 73-year-old vicar. , Father José Parapuram. The second case was registered on September 22 against the vicar and two others after receiving a complaint forwarded by the magistrate of the first class – III, Perumbavoor, under article 156 (3) of the CrPC lodged by a member of the parish, Saju Mathai.
The vicar alleged that Shijo Varghese had siphoned off Rs 41.84 lakh from the church fund by handling the ledger and fabricating documents. Against the allegations, Saju Mathai filed a lawsuit alleging that the vicar along with two others – Peter and Jaison – falsified records in 2019-2020 to siphon thousands of rupees from the church and embezzle them for their personal gain.
“We have launched an investigation into the complaints. The vicar and the two others approached the court of first instance and obtained early bail, ”said a police officer. The court granted interim bail to the vicar and the other two after police said on October 18 that they could not obtain any evidence indicating their involvement in the alleged offenses.
Vicar, two others are released on bail
The court granted interim bail to the vicar and the other two after police said on October 18 that they could not obtain any evidence indicating their involvement in the alleged offenses.