Rs. 4.5 crore church property attached-Former Coimbatore Bishop's Issue

Former Bishop Dorai

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday said it had provisionally attached property worth Rs. 4.5 crore after finding that it had been acquired using funds allegedly misappropriated from the Coimbatore Diocese of the Church of South India and in violation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

An official release said from the Directorate’s Chennai Zone said that a case was registered in April last year under the PMLA against Manickam Dorai, former CSI Bishop of Coimbatore Diocese, and his brother M. Moorthy.

Misappropriation

Both, the ED alleged, were involved in criminal conspiracy and misappropriation of funds of the Diocese, a public charitable trust, to the tune of Rs 7.93 crore.

Investigation revealed that a part of the proceeds was invested by Manickam Dorai in a property measuring 11,405 sqft in Chettychavadi village in Salem, which was registered in the name of Soodamani Devi, his wife.

Property

Another property, measuring 6.11 acres in Rettaikaradu village in Erode district, on which a building with a total built-up area of about 10,000 sqft had been put up, was also purchased with the proceeds.

Moorthy also invested a part of the proceeds in land measuring 2.5 acres in Nanjai Uthukuli village in Erode district and constructed a building with built-up area of 10,000 sqft, according to the press release.

 crtsy-The Hinu