The Old Guntur Police have registered a criminal case against Bishop Jayarao Polimera of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Eluru and several others, following allegations of large-scale fund diversion and administrative interference in the Prema Seva Charitable Trust, based in Gowripatnam, West Godavari district. The FIR, dated 15 November 2025, invokes Section 420 IPC read with Section 34, as the alleged offences occurred before the introduction of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The case was initiated on the basis of a detailed complaint filed by Guntur-based social worker and RTI activist Potumeraka Lakshmi Durga (40). In her complaint, she accused the Bishop and his associates of misusing religious authority, disrupting the Trust’s long-running free-meal (Nithyannadanam) programme, and diverting public donations meant for serving pilgrims and the poor.

Allegations of Misuse of Funds and Interference

According to the complainant, the Trust, holding FCRA licence No. 010180182, has been providing free meals to thousands of pilgrims for decades and has received nearly ₹7.5 crore in donations, including contributions mobilised from Hindu donors. She alleged that after Bishop Jayarao assumed charge of the Eluru Diocese, he and his aides began interfering in the Trust’s operations, despite having no official role in its administration.

The complaint names Father Raju, Moses, Dhara Ravi, Father John Peter, and contractor Nageshwar Rao among those allegedly involved in diverting donations, withholding meals from visiting pilgrims, and collecting cash from devotees without issuing receipts. These unrecorded collections were allegedly split among the individuals involved, with a portion purportedly routed to the Bishop.

The complainant further claimed that banners were displayed within the Trust premises advising pilgrims not to donate, stating that contributions would be misused. She alleged that announcements were also made on loudspeakers, creating widespread suspicion about the handling of funds.

₹31 Lakh Transfer at Centre of Complaint

One of the key allegations concerns the transfer of ₹31 lakh on 2 May 2025, from the Trust’s bank account to the Diocese’s account through a cheque reportedly signed by an unauthorised person. While the amount was said to have been returned to the Trust after bank officials realised the legal and procedural issues involved, the complainant alleged that the Bishop had influenced bank authorities to avoid consequences.

She characterised the episode as a “clear case of criminal breach of trust” and sought action against all those involved, including the bank manager. She also demanded restoration of the Annadanam programme in accordance with the Trust’s bylaws and donor intent.

Zero FIR Registered; Case Transferred for Investigation

Old Guntur Police registered the complaint as a Zero FIR and transferred it to Devarapally Police Station in West Godavari district, the jurisdiction in which the Trust operates, for a full investigation.

LRPF Files Separate Complaint With Bank Over Alleged Fraudulent Transfer

In a parallel development, the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) filed a separate complaint with the Nodal Officer of South Indian Bank, seeking a probe into what it described as an unauthorised and fraudulent transfer of ₹31 lakh from the Trust to the Eluru Diocese.

LRPF alleged that the cheque used (No. 1005922) carried the signature of an individual not recognised as an authorised signatory by the bank’s records. The organisation stated that the transaction violated banking due-diligence norms, including:

• RBI Master Direction on KYC (2015-16)
• RBI Master Circular on Customer Service (2015-16)
• RBI Internal Control and Anti-Fraud Guidelines

The complaint contended that processing a high-value cheque without proper verification constitutes a breach of Sections 46 and 47A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which place accountability on bank officials for regulatory lapses.

LRPF argued that the incident also qualifies as a case of “deficiency in service” and “unfair banking practice” under the RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021, and requested immediate action, including an internal inquiry by the bank.

As per information, Rs 31 Lakhs of Prema Samajam Charitable Trust funds were illegally cheque-Transferred to Eluru Diocese, AP (both FCRA-registered) on 2nd May 2025, using unauthorized signatures.

Wrote to @OfficialSIBLtd higher authorities & @RBI CGM seeking inquiry & action https://t.co/aKesZwkVLq

— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) November 3, 2025

(Source: Arise Bharat)

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The Bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, a Malayali, resigned on 30 January 2025, citing a “trial by media” over allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied. His resignation follows the recent departure of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby amid a broader crisis within the Church of England.

Perumbalath, 58, stepped down after Channel 4 News aired allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman multiple times between 2019 and 2023 and sexually harassed a fellow bishop. In a statement published on the Diocese of Liverpool website, Perumbalath rejected the accusations and said he was leaving to prevent the controversy from overshadowing the diocese’s work.

“I do not wish this story to become a distraction for this incredible diocese and its people, whom it has been an honour and joy to serve,” he wrote. He emphasized that his resignation was not an admission of guilt but rather a response to the pressure created by media coverage.

The Church of England previously reviewed a complaint of alleged misconduct against Perumbalath in early 2023 but found insufficient evidence to pursue a safeguarding-related case. Another complaint from a separate individual was dismissed by an independent judge for exceeding the one-year filing deadline.

Originally from Kerala, India, Perumbalath was ordained in the Church of North India in 1994 and later moved to the UK, joining the Diocese of Rochester in 2001. He became Bishop of Liverpool in 2023.

Perumbalath said he was retiring from active ministry with immediate effect, though the formal end date of his tenure is yet to be determined. The Diocese of Liverpool’s senior leadership described the situation as “deeply painful” while acknowledging his decision.

(With inputs from OnManorama)

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The Additional District and Sessions Court I, Kottayam has cancelled the bail granted to the Bishop Franco Mulakkal, head of the Latin Catholic Church diocese of Jalandhar, who has been accused of rape reported the New Indian Express.

Sessions Judge G Gopakumar also issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Franco on Monday (13 July) for repeatedly failing to present himself (14 times) before the court since November last.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of the bail bond and a case be registered against the persons who stood as sureties. A show-cause notice will be issued for the surety amount of Rs 2 lakh against individuals who furnished the bond.

The influential bishop so far had failed to appear for the proceedings on more than 10 occasions. The last time he was in court was on November 30, 2019, to secure bail extension.

Franco’s reasons for not turning up for his court date appearance was on the grounds that his Jalandhar residence was situated in a COVID-19 containment zone. Also, the defence counsel said the bishop could not appear before the court since he is in quarantine.

According to his counsel, Bishop Franco had got himself an air ticket to fly down to Kerala but just before that he had met with his advocate Mandeep Singh Sachdev who later tested COVID positive, and hence Franco was asked to go in quarantine.

However, the precedence that the Catholic Bishop residence falls in the Civil Line area in Jalandhar falling within the containment zone turned out that it was not the case.  This was proven by the Advocate Jithesh Babu, special public prosecutor(SPP), who submitted this before the court.

The SPP elucidated the court that the accused was deliberately trying to delay the legal proceedings and based on that the court issued a non-bailable warrant.

Franco Mulakkal is the first bishop in Indian Catholic history to be arrested for raping a nun multiple times between 2014 and 2016.

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