Church panel accuses bishop of fraud: The Church of England Newspaper, Oct 29, 2010 p 6.

Dr Williams being handed a petition by anti-corruption activists in Madras

A Church of South India (CSI) panel has concluded that a prima facie case for fraud can be laid against the Bishop in Coimbatore.

In interim report prepared by an investigatory panel given to the CSI executive committee last month concluded Bishop Manickam Dorai was likely to have committed fraud and theft of church funds.  A final report will be presented to the executive committee in December, but the interim findings determined there was probable cause to dismiss Bishop Dorai, the panel concluded.

On July 2, the executive committee of the CSI’s General Synod placed Bishop Dorai on an indefinite leave of absence and dissolved the diocese’s executive council.  The bishop and his cronies are accused of embezzling diocesan funds and taking kickbacks on construction projects amounting to over £500,000.

On May 8, a warrant was also issued for the bishop’s arrest after he failed to appear before a magistrate to answer charges he threatened bodily harm to one of the priests in his diocese.  Bishop Dorai was granted bail on the menacing charge.

The four man fact finding team, composed of retired Justice Michael Saldanha of the Karnataka High Court, the Moderator of the CSI Bishop S. Vasanthakumar, former Karnataka Director General of Police A J Anandan and bank auditor C E Sarasam were hampered in their investigation as the diocese’s financial records were in the hands of the police, and they were unable to interrogate the bishop’s alleged conspirators: his wife and two brothers.

However, their inquiries at church-run schools and colleges found ample evidence of fraud. Evidence was unearthed that the bishop had sold admissions places to students at the church’s Ketti Engineering College, that the bishop had sold diocesan assets at 20 per cent of their market value to confederates, and had diverted church funds into his private accounts.

Quoting the report, the Express newspaper stated Judge Saldanha believed the evidence was so conclusive as to guilt that it would “sustain a straight conviction in a criminal court.”

On Oct 17, the Archbishop of Canterbury told members of the Indian press in Madras the CSI was seeking to reform its canons to tackle cases of corruption in high places.  “We know there are some reported cases of corruption, which are pending in the court, and the Moderators of the churches are working to constitute a self-regulatory mechanism to look into the issue,” Dr. Williams said to the press after a ceremony celebrating the 175^th anniversary of the Diocese of Madras at St. George’s Cathedral.

Dr. Williams also met with lay activists from groups seeking to root out corruption in the church.  In an hour long meeting, representatives from the Prophetic Forum, the CSITA Beneficiaries Association, the Laity Association of the Diocese of Madras, and the CHRIST Centered Campaign urged Dr. Williams to use his influence to reform the scandal plagued church.

A 12-point plan was given to Dr. Williams by the anti-corruption activists, who shared with him examples of illegal sales of church land, selling admissions to church-run schools, taking kickbacks on construction projects, leasing out church properties at below market rents in exchange for bribes, and simony among the clergy.

In a statement released after their meeting, the lay activists said Dr. Williams was sympathetic to their concerns and “touched on topics like the nature of the office of the bishop, his concerns over the present electoral system, and the need for dialogue.”

“Suffice to say the Archbishop came across as someone who is genuinely working to get a dialogue going within the CSI on the much needed process of reform. In this effort he will doubtless appreciate the prayers and good wishes of all 4.5 million CSI members,” the anti-corruption activists said.