Kochi: The investigation team probing the ‘forged’ documents case linked to Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry of the Syro-Malabar Church has recorded the arrest of Aditya Valavi, a computer engineer, on charges of fabricating the controversial documents.
Police sources claimed that Aditya, who had uploaded the forged documents on the internet, had admitted that he had prepared the documents at the behest of a priest in the Syro-Malabar Church.
Cardinal Alencherry told reporters in Kochi on Sunday, “let the court take a decision on the conspiracy linked to the forged documents. I hope everything will end smoothly,” he said.
He also declined to comment on the questioning of priests by the investigating officials.
Aditya told the cops that the purpose of forging the document was to create an ill-will towards the Major Archbishop. Police sources said Aditya had prepared the documents inside a shop at Thevara. The computer used for the purpose was seized.
The case has now reached a crucial stage as the arrest is expected to expose the others involved in the case.
Fr Tony Kallookkaran, vicar of St Joseph's Church at Sanjo Nagar, Muringoor, is suspected to be the priest involved in prompting Aditya to prepare the documents showing a bank account in the name of Cardinal Alenchery. Although the police tried to take the priest into custody on Saturday night, a group of parishioners foiled the attempt. The police were likely to take him into custody on Sunday.
Aditya was remanded in judicial custody by a local court on Sunday till May 31. Although the police claim that Aditya had confessed about his role in the murky affair, questions were raised on the police keeping him in custody for three days without producing him in the court.
Janakeeya Manushayvakasa Prasthanam, a human rights organisation, has condemned the police action and said that it was against the law. The police has to produce a person taken into custody within 24 hours at the court and only under the order of the court further custody is allowed, said Thushar Nirmal Saradahy, president of JMP. The family members of Aditya have also approached the Human Rights Commission complaining that he was kept under the illegal custody of the police.
