UPDATE: Statement by Episcopal Relief and Development
Update on the Church of South India
Episcopal Relief & Development has learned about the arrests of two former Church of South India (CSI) employees in Chennai, India, regarding the alleged misuse of funds related to tsunami relief efforts. The arrests were part of an ongoing local police investigation initiated by CSI, a United Church and a member of the Anglican Communion.
We are in the process of filing a separate legal action in accordance with our pledge of transparency and accountability to faithfully administer the funds that are received to assist vulnerable people. Two years ago, Episcopal Relief & Development raised concerns with the Church authorities when CSI failed to complete the financial reporting and required audits outlined in our agreement. Since then, we have suspended programs with CSI as we work to appropriately account for funds allocated in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
In keeping with board policy, we routinely hire international accounting and auditing firms to assess multi-year and long-term program partnerships. This audit process ensures the proper use of donated funds. In the case of CSI, we did not receive the required audits and as is our policy, we suspended programs immediately in order to gain clarity about the work completed. After two years, we were forced to pursue legal action. We expect our lawsuit to be filed in India within the next few days.
This situation is highly unusual in our work. By and large, our global partners are extremely diligent in providing required reports and conducting audits. Our partnership with CSI was only a portion of our tsunami response efforts. As per standard plans and agreements, clean audits were completed with our church partners in both North India and Sri Lanka.
We hope that the Indian authorities will work quickly to resolve this matter. Episcopal Relief & Development’s sole desire is that this money be used to benefit the people who were impacted by the tsunami, as originally intended. As this is a judicial and legal matter in India, we cannot comment further about the current situation.
Episcopal Relief & Development is committed to complete transparency on behalf of those we seek to serve and our faithful donors. We are deeply grateful for their support and prayers at this time.
Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States. As an independent 501(c) (3) organization, Episcopal Relief & Development takes its mandate from Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25. Its programs work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Together with the worldwide Church and ecumenical partners, Episcopal Relief & Development strengthens communities today to meet tomorrow’s challenges. We rebuild after disasters and empower people by offering lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.
Two have been arrested in India and the search is on for others after an audit of funds donated by Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) revealed misuse at the local level, news services there report.
ERD had apparently donated funds to the Church of South India for tsunami rehabilitation work at some point in the past. (In terms of amounts given, local news sources are at odds.) Project money in this case went to development work in the coastal city of Chennai, targeting 22 dioceses.
According to a senior police officer with the Central Crime Branch, Recently new office-bearers assumed responsibility of administering the church and approached the US funding agency for more money to complete the ongoing rehabilitation work. However, officials at the ERD sought the account summary for the money allotted earlier and the work done till date. The [CSI's] church secretary Moses Jayakumar asked his predecessor [former CSI General Secretary Dr. Pauline Sathiamurthy] to submit the accounts, but she refused claiming that the ERD funds were allotted to her in individual capacity and argued that she was not accountable to the church office bearers. This led to a tussle and an internal audit carried out by the new office bearers revealed a mismatch in funds allotted and the rehabilitation work completed.
According to Express News Service, the fund had been intended ...for rehabilitating victims by constructing houses, buying them boats, fishing nets and medical facilities in 2005.
The fund was allocated to 22 dioceses of the CSI in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh.
In the aftermath of Secretary Jayakumar's investigation, two persons were remanded to police custody and are currently in prison. Benatikta, daughter of Dr. Pauline Sathiamurthy, and a relative, Robert Sunil, have both been detained, while police are still looking for Dr. Sathiamurthy and her husband.
Police further report that both Benedicta and Sunil drew significant salaries off donated monies which were apparently used to purchase luxury automobiles.
For more details; click here
26 April 2010
Scandalizing Christian Witness (Thalikulam Property Issue)
Unlike the Syrian Churches which had been in existence in Malabar/ Kerala, what is distinctive about the Church of South India is its evangelistic heritage inherited from the Missionary societies that constituted it. Missionary societies acquired large tracts of land all over the country for their evangelistic efforts which they had understood as brining wholeness and healing to individuals and cultures and working against all forms of dehumanizing tenancies in the existing social conditions.
They acquired large tracts of land for creating Christian communities that model the values of God’s kingdom and to carry forward the work of evangelization through our schools and hospitals. The missionary history in Kerala is one of transforming the total life of its social and cultural life.
With the formation of the Church of South India in 1947, these lands and institutions were transferred to the CSI Trust Association (CSITA). The transfer was fully completed in the North Kerala Diocese only in the 60s. The properties were transferred not to be sold away, but for their safe keeping and protection and use them for continuing the evangelistic ministries’ of compassion.
One of the arguments for selling these lands is that they are remaining without being put to proper use and hence, likely to be encroached upon. Surely that will happen when the inheritor’s of this legacy has no sense of mission and vision. Look around and you we will see a multitude of people who are “like sheep without shepherd, harassed and helpless” and “a field that is ready for harvesting”. But our church leaders do not have the eyes to see this, but rather their eyes are set on making quick money selling these lands and institutions.
Under an episcopacy that has become monarchical and a mafia of power mongers that develop around the episcopacy, our inheritance of valuable immovable assets are reduced to objects for sale and their illegal gratification. The stories of such instances of illegal land transactions abound and are shocking. They are done under the garb of good stewardship of resources and development of the church properties.
The mission of the present bishop of the North Kerala diocese, the Rt. Rev. Dr. K. P. Kuruvilla, and the treasurer, Rev. B. N. Fen seems to be that of engaging in shady deals of selling church properties or giving them for long lease in the shortest possible time without following the strictly laid out norms and procedures for selling them.
Such illegal transactions have already taken place in Munnar, Fort Kochi and Irutty and in many other places, the details of which are yet to be unearthed. One such land transaction in a long neglected congregation in Thalikulam, near Thrissur, that took place on 21/12/2009, is lifted up as a classic case for our further study and action.
In 2007, the Rt. Rev. K. P. Kuruvilla and the diocesan treasurer, Rev B. N. Fen entered into an agreement with Sri Abdul Khadar, Puthiya Veettil Kottalingal House, Uurumaniyoor P.O, Thrissur district, Kerala to sell Church properties surveyed under 101/5, 101/1A and 101/3A belonging to Chavakkadu Taluk, Thalikullam Village, totalling 2 acres and 73 cents for one lakh per cent and this agreement was continued to be revised every six months.
Finally, after almost three years , the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev. K. P. Kuruvilla and the Treasurer of the Diocese, Rev. B.F.Fen, as power of attorneys of CSITA in North Kerala Diocese, on 21st of December 2009, executed three sale deeds, in violation of the directive from the CSITA against the sale of the said property and without following the procedures and norms demanded of selling trust lands. Thus, they sold 2 acres 23 cents to Sri Abdul Khader, 0.02 cents to Shri. P.G.Koshy, President, Sharon Fellowship, and 0.48 cents to Mohammad Salim, Ponnayur, Andathode P.O. Thrissur for a total amount of Rs. 95 lakhs 20 thousand.
While this is the amount shown in the sale deed, the proceeds from the sale are to the tune of 2 corer 73 lakhs, as per the agreement, is shown to be deposited in the CSITA account of the North Kerala Diocese in Shornur. The nature of the monetary transaction is not clear except that the amounts were deposited at different dates in the account of the CSITA Account in shornur.
It has also come to light that the final deposit of more than one crore was deposited only after a fortnight of the date on which final sale deed had been executed. These facts lend credence to the fraudulent and criminal nature of this deal. The following questions remain without any answer. The Bishop and the treasurer and the coterie of working committee are bound to answer these questions.
1. Some of the land transactions that have taken place in the recent past of the diocesan property in interior areas are for 1 to 2 lakhs of rupees per cent. The Thalikulam property which is by the side of NH17 should fetch at least a minimum of Rs. 4 lakhs per cent. Land worth Rs. 12 crore, by lowest estimates, has been sold for Rs. 2 core and 73 laks. Who are the persons in the administration of the diocese that have been illegally gratified themselves by this land deal and brought such heavy loss to the church and the CSITA?
2. How could they sell the land against the directive of the CSI synod not to sell it and by passing all the norms of transparency to be followed in the sale of Trust properties such as advertising the proposal for sale in leading news papers?
3. How could a public institution like the church, which should be above board when it comes to probity in public life, (leave alone any concern to be salt and light in a murky world), be party to a shady deal in which the financial transactions are not transparent and mostly unlawful.
4. How can they be party to falsely undervaluing the property in the sale deed and thus cause such heavy loss to the state exchequer.
What has been lost through these land transactions which are illegal and against the norms of truthfulness and transparency in public life is the credibility of Christian witness. These facts which are brought to your notice are true to the best of our knowledge and have been raised with at most responsibility. If any of my allegations are false they should prove it to the church and the public. Civil and criminal proceedings have been initiated against culprits.
The people in pew should not be mere spectators to this unfolding drama of nepotism and looting and besmirching of Christian faith. The rich inheritance that we have received from the missionaries is not to be squandered by a few within the church, but to be used for bearing credible witness to our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is only a tip of the iceberg. More are to be unearthed. It is a time when we should be vigilant and join in protest against such tarnishing of Christian witness and take a stand for truth, justice and love that has been exemplified in the person of Christ and to which we have been called to be witnesses.
A.D. Kurian George
Anthikat House
Nattika P.O
Thrissur
PS: Subsequent to this reporting, I filed a civil suit in the Hon. Munsiff Court in Trichur and the court has passed a restraining order to the buyers from alienating the land, developing it and also burying the dead (a piece of the cemetery was also sold to Pentecostal Church). The court instituted a commission to visit the said property and satisfy for itself the nature and character of the land.
They acquired large tracts of land for creating Christian communities that model the values of God’s kingdom and to carry forward the work of evangelization through our schools and hospitals. The missionary history in Kerala is one of transforming the total life of its social and cultural life.
With the formation of the Church of South India in 1947, these lands and institutions were transferred to the CSI Trust Association (CSITA). The transfer was fully completed in the North Kerala Diocese only in the 60s. The properties were transferred not to be sold away, but for their safe keeping and protection and use them for continuing the evangelistic ministries’ of compassion.
One of the arguments for selling these lands is that they are remaining without being put to proper use and hence, likely to be encroached upon. Surely that will happen when the inheritor’s of this legacy has no sense of mission and vision. Look around and you we will see a multitude of people who are “like sheep without shepherd, harassed and helpless” and “a field that is ready for harvesting”. But our church leaders do not have the eyes to see this, but rather their eyes are set on making quick money selling these lands and institutions.
Under an episcopacy that has become monarchical and a mafia of power mongers that develop around the episcopacy, our inheritance of valuable immovable assets are reduced to objects for sale and their illegal gratification. The stories of such instances of illegal land transactions abound and are shocking. They are done under the garb of good stewardship of resources and development of the church properties.
The mission of the present bishop of the North Kerala diocese, the Rt. Rev. Dr. K. P. Kuruvilla, and the treasurer, Rev. B. N. Fen seems to be that of engaging in shady deals of selling church properties or giving them for long lease in the shortest possible time without following the strictly laid out norms and procedures for selling them.
Such illegal transactions have already taken place in Munnar, Fort Kochi and Irutty and in many other places, the details of which are yet to be unearthed. One such land transaction in a long neglected congregation in Thalikulam, near Thrissur, that took place on 21/12/2009, is lifted up as a classic case for our further study and action.
In 2007, the Rt. Rev. K. P. Kuruvilla and the diocesan treasurer, Rev B. N. Fen entered into an agreement with Sri Abdul Khadar, Puthiya Veettil Kottalingal House, Uurumaniyoor P.O, Thrissur district, Kerala to sell Church properties surveyed under 101/5, 101/1A and 101/3A belonging to Chavakkadu Taluk, Thalikullam Village, totalling 2 acres and 73 cents for one lakh per cent and this agreement was continued to be revised every six months.
Finally, after almost three years , the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev. K. P. Kuruvilla and the Treasurer of the Diocese, Rev. B.F.Fen, as power of attorneys of CSITA in North Kerala Diocese, on 21st of December 2009, executed three sale deeds, in violation of the directive from the CSITA against the sale of the said property and without following the procedures and norms demanded of selling trust lands. Thus, they sold 2 acres 23 cents to Sri Abdul Khader, 0.02 cents to Shri. P.G.Koshy, President, Sharon Fellowship, and 0.48 cents to Mohammad Salim, Ponnayur, Andathode P.O. Thrissur for a total amount of Rs. 95 lakhs 20 thousand.
While this is the amount shown in the sale deed, the proceeds from the sale are to the tune of 2 corer 73 lakhs, as per the agreement, is shown to be deposited in the CSITA account of the North Kerala Diocese in Shornur. The nature of the monetary transaction is not clear except that the amounts were deposited at different dates in the account of the CSITA Account in shornur.
It has also come to light that the final deposit of more than one crore was deposited only after a fortnight of the date on which final sale deed had been executed. These facts lend credence to the fraudulent and criminal nature of this deal. The following questions remain without any answer. The Bishop and the treasurer and the coterie of working committee are bound to answer these questions.
1. Some of the land transactions that have taken place in the recent past of the diocesan property in interior areas are for 1 to 2 lakhs of rupees per cent. The Thalikulam property which is by the side of NH17 should fetch at least a minimum of Rs. 4 lakhs per cent. Land worth Rs. 12 crore, by lowest estimates, has been sold for Rs. 2 core and 73 laks. Who are the persons in the administration of the diocese that have been illegally gratified themselves by this land deal and brought such heavy loss to the church and the CSITA?
2. How could they sell the land against the directive of the CSI synod not to sell it and by passing all the norms of transparency to be followed in the sale of Trust properties such as advertising the proposal for sale in leading news papers?
3. How could a public institution like the church, which should be above board when it comes to probity in public life, (leave alone any concern to be salt and light in a murky world), be party to a shady deal in which the financial transactions are not transparent and mostly unlawful.
4. How can they be party to falsely undervaluing the property in the sale deed and thus cause such heavy loss to the state exchequer.
What has been lost through these land transactions which are illegal and against the norms of truthfulness and transparency in public life is the credibility of Christian witness. These facts which are brought to your notice are true to the best of our knowledge and have been raised with at most responsibility. If any of my allegations are false they should prove it to the church and the public. Civil and criminal proceedings have been initiated against culprits.
The people in pew should not be mere spectators to this unfolding drama of nepotism and looting and besmirching of Christian faith. The rich inheritance that we have received from the missionaries is not to be squandered by a few within the church, but to be used for bearing credible witness to our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is only a tip of the iceberg. More are to be unearthed. It is a time when we should be vigilant and join in protest against such tarnishing of Christian witness and take a stand for truth, justice and love that has been exemplified in the person of Christ and to which we have been called to be witnesses.
A.D. Kurian George
Anthikat House
Nattika P.O
Thrissur
PS: Subsequent to this reporting, I filed a civil suit in the Hon. Munsiff Court in Trichur and the court has passed a restraining order to the buyers from alienating the land, developing it and also burying the dead (a piece of the cemetery was also sold to Pentecostal Church). The court instituted a commission to visit the said property and satisfy for itself the nature and character of the land.
25 April 2010
Update about cutting of trees at Vaniamkulam, Shornur.
THE THIEF COMES TO STEAL, KILL, AND DESTROY – John 10:10
The volume of trees felled valued around 2 crores....and the amount credited till today on the sale of the timber is only a paltry sum of Rs. 5 lakhs.
The former Bishop’s House of the North Kerala Diocese of the Church South India is situated in a more rural location in - called Vaniamkulam. The old Bishop’s house still remains in a 13.5 acres lush green, much neglected compound, as a standing monument to our callous disregard of the legacy that we have inherited from the missionaries and of our lack of vision and mission as a church.The total area of the compound was 17 acres and what remains with us now is only 13.5 acres. The rest of the land has been encroached by the henchmen of Bishops from time to time. This property which is of the nature of the forest in legal terms has been coming under the frontal attack of those whose eyes are only in monetary gain since past few years. In April 2009, the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev K P Kuruvilla, allowed the felling of 330 number of teakwood trees from Vaniamkulam CSITA property.
Mr. Stanly Paul of Vaniamkulam pastorate, Ottapalam, approached the District Vacation Court, Palakkad, and filed a suit, by original suit no. 164/09 and filed a civil miscellaneous petition no. 14/2009 at the of the Honorable Munsiff court of Ottapalam. The volume of trees felled valued around 2 crores. By the time, a court commission visited the place, most of the timber was transported and the balance timber left there in the property was assesses to value Rs. 65 lakhs by the court commission. But over a period of one year, circumventing the law of the land and the CSI constitution, the bishop managed to sell the timber left behind to a timber contractor and the amount credited till today on the sale of the timber is only a paltry sum of Rs. 5 lakhs. In effect under Bishop K P Kuruvilla’s initiative and leadership, teakwood worth Rs two crores was alienated for a paltry sum of Rs five lakhs. CSITA and its attorneys in North Kerala Dioceses owe an explanation to the church member as per chapter IV of the CSI constitution. We also need to know besides the Bishop, who else have profited from this clandestine deal which actually would have fetched 2 crores to the CSITA and the Diocese.
In April 2010, the Bishop, by misrepresenting facts, and without the knowledge of the Church Worker, the Presbyter in Charge, the Executive Committee and the Property Committee, fraudulently obtained a pass from forest authorities to fell 6 number of teakwood trees, under the pretext that would be required for the construction of the Bishops house at Shornur. However, using this permission, instead of six mature trees they fell 60 immature green teakwood trees below the girth of 1.5 meters, without adhering to any norm fixed for cutting the trees under the Kerala Preservation of Tree Act of 1986 and the Kerala Restriction on Cutting and Destruction of Valuable Trees Act 1974. It is to be assumed that this could not have happened without the connivance of the officials of the forest department.
However the local congregation members prevented the transportation of this huge volume of logs scattered all around this thirteen acre plot, approximately valued at Rs 50 lakhs. Bishop and his henchmen, some of them local party members are working overtime to prevent media from covering this gruesome slaughtering of trees and telecasting. However the scene was telecasted by the local channels at Shornur and Ottapalam. A complaint is being lodged with the range forest officer who is also officiating as tree officer by Mr. Shaju George of Vaniamkulam congregation. Everyone is looking forward to the unfolding drama associated with this in the coming days.
We are left with many unanswered questions. A few trees may be required for the construction of the Bishop house, what are we going to do with the remaining large volume, which is valued at 50 lakhs. Can the diocesan officers sell the rest of the logs felled without permission? If so what is its sale value, and to whom will they be sold and for what purpose would the money be put to use? Who should be made accountable to this illegal and at the same time unconstitutional act by the Bishop and his accomplices? These questions are to be discussed and responsibilities fixed by the executive committee and the property committee. The action taken should be informed to the congregations as every member of CSI is a rightful owner of these properties as per chapter IV of the CSI constitution. But they are now be stolen and squandered by the Bishop and a spineless group of officers.
THE DEVIL COMES TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY. I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly
– John 10:10.
All our prized processions which we have inherited from our forefathers from the great missionaries of CMS and Basal mission- our mission compounds- our inheritance which we keep close to our hearts are being looted, squandered and destroyed. Whether it is Thalikulam property, Fort Cochin English bungalow, or Munnar property, all are being squandered. It is time that we react. NO, we are not going to let the DEVIL steal, destroy and kill. Wearing God’s armour, which is the word of God, We are going to fight with ALL our might. We will NOT GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT! We are not going to let someone steal that which is ours, our most prized possessions.
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