Crime Investigation Division (CID) has arrested Church of South India (CSI) archbishop Dyvasirvadam for his alleged involvement in church funds scam, reported the Times of India. He was arrested after a year-long investigation and the local court has granted the agency his 14-day judicial remand.
According to the report, archbishop Dyvasirvadam was allegedly involved in misappropriation of church fund for over a decade and he was ‘illegally elected’ back in 2002. The members of the CSI Church have been fighting against him since a few years now. His relative, Sudhir Samuel is also believed to be involved in the scam.
It is reported that in 2015, the Registrar of Companies carried out inspection and income tax audit since 2010 which revealed that the institution was not giving a clear picture of accounts. The CSI Trust Association, a section 25 company, also faces various allegations including amending the rulebook without Centre’s approval. The CID estimates that the scam could run into several thousand crores.
Dyvasirvadam was first arrested in January 2018 for the first time by Andhra Pradesh Police to follow an investigation of the sale of church property, with proceeds estimated to be around 32 million dollars, allegedly pocketed by Dyvasirvadam.