Kochi: The Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese has issued a circular to be read in all churches coming under its administration on Sunday saying that no attempts were made to defame Cardinal George Alenchery, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church, with forged documents. The circular is contrary to the position taken by the permanent synod of the Church a few days ago stating that the documents were fabricated to defame the cardinal.
The circular says none of the priests in the archdiocese was involved in prompting or fabricating such documents or indulged in any conspiracy for such purposes. “All propaganda in this regard is baseless and misleading. The propaganda that attempts were made to defame the major archbishop with forged documents is completely against the truth,” it says.
The circular also stated that the youth arrested in this connection has been kept in illegal custody for 48 hours and subjected to inhuman torture. He was forced to confess that he forged the documents on the instructions of priests. “The action of the police is violation of human rights and a challenge to the rule of law,” it said. The circular stated that the probe into the forged document case is not moving in the right direction and sought a judicial or CBI probe.
The statement issued by Varghese Pottackal, Proto-Syncellus of the archdiocese, called upon the priests and laity to jointly pray for the resolution of the crisis in a peaceful manner and to save the priests and youths of the Church from being tortured.
The circular, giving a background of the forged documents case, stated that documents linking a few bishops of the Kerala Church came to the notice of a youth, who happened to be a member of the archdiocese, during the course of his official duty. He brought the matter to the attention of Fr. Paul Thelakat and the latter handed over copies of the said documents to Bishop Jacob Manathodath in private.
Bishop Manathodath submitted the same in private and confidence to Major Archbishop Alenchery and requested him to trace the authenticity of the said documents. The archbishop presented the same to the synod and the synod has decided to file a case to find out the veracity of the documents.
