Father Anthony was picked up by a team of Khanna Police allegedly along with unaccounted cash money of Rs 9.66 crores on March 29 from his residence in Jalandhar. (File)Father Anthony Madassery will on Thursday submit to the Income Tax department all proofs regarding the cash recovered from him and details of his company’s business interests. The Income Tax (I-T) department has set a deadline of Wednesday for submission of the proofs.
Asked about the same, Father Anthony, who was at the head office of Sahodaya in Ludhiana, told The Indian Express, “I was to submit the details to I-T department on Wednesday, but my Charted Accountant (CA) could complete entire required documents by today evening only and now he will submit the proofs to I-T officials tomorrow morning.”
Meanwhile, the Diocese of Jalandhar has not yet asked Father Anthony to submit details of businesses of his company and to justify the money recovered from him.
Father Anthony was picked up by a team of Khanna Police allegedly along with unaccounted cash money of Rs 9.66 crores on March 29 from his residence in Partapura in Jalandhar but police showed the recovery from Doraha in Ludhiana district. Later, he alleged that police has misappropriated Rs 6.65 crore.
Asked about the proposed inquiry into entire episode by the Diocese of Jalandhar, under which he has been working, he said that he had not been asked to submit any details yet, but will present the entire record when asked.
“There is nothing hidden about our partnership company and why should I be afraid of anything when everything is there on record,” he stressed.
Some priests told media that ‘School Books selling and Stationery’ business is not even registered under ‘Sahodaya’, the main partnership company of four priests. However, Father Anthony said that under Sahodhaya there are five entities including book selling and stationery, garments, construction, security services, and uniforms. “School books selling was one of the first entities registered under Sahodhya,” he said.
Sources said that some senior officials at the Diocese of Jalandhar were not happy with the businesses of Father Anthony and his partners, and could have leaked the information to police, the day when huge collection of cash money received at his residence in Partapura. Father Anthony did not deny the fact that the information might have been leaked by some fellow priests.
Meanwhile, in Ludhiana, a departmental inquiry was initiated on Wednesday which was marked by DGP Punjab on the allegations of Father Anthony against the Khanna Police.
