ED interrogates CSI Bishop for 9 hours in money laundering case
Jul 27, 2022
Kochi (Kerala) [India], July 27 : The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday interrogated Church of South India (CSI) Moderator and South Kerala Bishop Dharmaraj Rasalam for 9 hours in the alleged money laundering case in connection with the church-run Karakonam Medical College in Kerala.
According to the allegations, the Bishop had taken huge amounts of money on the pretext of offering admission to the medical college.
The allegation against the Bishop and the Church pertains to accepting capitation fees for admission to the medical college run by the church.
The Bishop was among the ones booked by the Kerala Police for allegedly collecting huge amounts of money from students, promising them a medical seat in the Dr Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College in Karakonam, which is run by the church.
Earlier, on Monday, the ED conducted a raid at the Mateer Memorial Church here in Kerala's capital city in connection with the matter.
The ED also raided the headquarters of the CSI South Kerala diocese, which houses the office of Church supreme leader Bishop Dharmaraj Rasalam.
Simultaneous raids were also carried out at the residences of Church's secretary T T Praveen and the medical director of CSI Medical College, Karakonam Dr Bennet Abraham.
"They want to do something against the church, they want to destroy the church. So they are filing cases one by one against different bodies. Let them do it we are happy to face it," Christian Education Board Director Fr. C R Godwin told ANI on Wednesday.
"Today (Monday) morning at 6.30 they came and started the raid. They did not inform us. Till now the questioning is going on and the Bishop has a conference to attend, if they leave we are happy," he added.
The ED registered the case under money laundering offence later.
