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The archbishop, vicar general and archdiocesan spokesman in the Indian archdiocese of Bhopal face charges of trying to poison a priest in order to question his mental state.
The case is against Archbishop Leo Cornelio, vicar general Father V. C. Mathew and archdiocese spokesman Father P. J. Johny.
The prosecution alleges that Father Anand Muttungal, former public relations officer for the archdiocese, was targeted by his superiors after he filed a court case over alleged misappropriation of funds by local Church leaders.
Archbishop Cornelio said the allegations against him were baseless and his accuser suffered from behavioural problems.
“We consulted psychiatrists and they advised medicines,” he said. But the plan was abandoned later as the priest behaved normally, he added.
“But now he goes around doing all these things to discredit the Church and challenge its authority. He is doing all of this with malicious intent.”
Father Muttungal said he approached the court directly because he received no response from a police complaint filed soon after he became aware of the alleged conspiracy against him.
“Since the police did not act upon my complaint, I had to approach the magisterial court to save my life,” he said.
Father K. P. Philip, a diocesan priest in Bhopal, submitted an affidavit to the court in which he substantiated Father Muttungal’s allegations.
According to the affidavit Father Philip accompanied the archbishop and vicar general to a psychiatrist in December last year, where they discussed with a doctor a plan to render Father Muttungal mentally unstable. At that time he refused to be a party to it and informed Father Muttungal.
The affidavit further states that diocesan officials put pressure on him to put drugs in Father Muttungal’s food and drink. But he refused to do that.
In 2011 the Catholic Priests’ Conference of India gave Father Muttungal its highest award for exceptional services.
Sources:
Image: South Asia Mail
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News category: World.
