Tamil Nadu: Kerala bishop, 5 others arrested in illegal sand mining case

Samuel Mar Irenios, the Pathanamthitta Bishop of the Malankara Catholic Church, was arrested in Tamil Nadu on allegations of unlawfully exporting sand from the Thamarabharani river. Priests George Samuel, Shaji Thomas, Jijo James, and George Kavial, as well as Vicar General Shaji Thomas Manikulam, were arrested. All of the defendants were remanded in custody.

The church leased the land to Manuel George of Kottayam, who was caught previously in the case. According to the police, Manuel secured a permit to store, process, and consume rough stone, gravel, crusher dust, and M-sand on a 300-acre tract of land close to a check dam at Pottal in Tirunelveli's South Kallidaikurichi village.

The land is held by the Malankara Catholic Church's Pathanamthitta diocese and was leased to Manuel George. He has been mining sand illegally from the Vandal check dam and surrounding regions. Local citizens and environmentalists who had spearheaded a campaign against illicit sand mining had petitioned the Madras High Court's Madurai Bench, noting these actions. Last year, the bench ordered that the matter be moved from the Kallidaikurichi police station to the CB-CID for further investigation. The CB-CID detained the bishop and five priests because they thought the criminal actions were carried out in collusion with the landowners.

The CID apprehended the bishop and five priests because they feared illicit mining was taking place with their knowledge.

Meanwhile, the diocesan officials have been unable to visit the site for the previous two years because of the Covid, according to a church statement. During this period, Manuel George violated the contract provisions, prompting the church to take legal action to have him removed from the contract.

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