A couple from Ottapidaram filed a complaint with the Superintendent of Police on 18 November 2024, accusing a local pastor of defrauding them of ₹68 lakh under the guise of constructing an orphanage and old age home. The couple, K. Arumugakrishnan and his wife Vasantha from Kakarampatti village, claimed they had given the pastor, Newton David, a pastor with the Assemblies of God church in Ottapidaram, the money to renovate a church and fund the construction of the facilities. They have asked the police to file an FIR against him.
The couple said they handed over a total of ₹68 lakh, which included ₹16 lakh in cash, to Newton David after he convinced them he needed funds for the projects. However, after realizing they had been scammed, the couple demanded their money back. According to their statement, the pastor promised to return the money once he received funds from abroad.
The couple further alleged that Newton showed them counterfeit documents, including fake Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) bonds worth several crores, which he claimed were approved by the Reserve Bank of India. He also presented a ₹30 crore cheque to gain their trust. The pastor supposedly gave Arumugakrishnan and Vasantha bonds worth ₹5 crore and ₹10 crore, respectively, which later turned out to be fraudulent.
In addition to these claims, Arumugakrishnan accused Newton of illegally extracting iridium from temple kalasams. He has requested the police to file an FIR against the pastor and his accomplices for these alleged activities.
However, Newton David, who has been suspended from his church denomination, denied the allegations. He asserted that the money dispute had already been resolved by the district crime branch. Newton also accused Arumugakrishnan of manipulating his images to falsely accuse him of stealing iridium and denied any involvement in issuing fake RBI bonds or cheques.
(With Inputs From The New Indian Express)
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