In accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) provisions, AML Watchdog conducted search operations on April 22, 2023, at 5 locations in Pune (Maharashtra), Pachmarhi (MP), Jalandhar (Punjab), Indore (MP), and Kolkata (WB). This was in connection with a money laundering investigation into the theft of church funds. Various incriminating documents have been found and confiscated during the searches.
P C Singh, Chairman of the Board of Education Church of North India, Jabalpur (MP), was the subject of an FIR filed by EOW, Jabalpur (M.P.) under different sections of the IPC, 1860, which prompted the ED to open an inquiry. Primarily, it is discovered that several CNI office holders, including P C Singh, a former managing director of a trust under CNI, were involved in the egregious misappropriation of church properties through their sale or rental at much lower prices under the pretence that the properties were in poor condition and were being encroached upon.
For instance, a private company called Satpura Resorts Private Limited was given a 15-year lease for a 1 Acre parcel of land with a building in the Satpura National Park & Hill Station in Panchmarhi, M.P.
The ED previously searched six locations connected to P C Singh in Jabalpur, Mumbai, Ranchi, and Nagpur on March 15, 2023, and three locations in Ranchi on March 18, 2023, in accordance with the provisions of the PMLA, 2002. A total of Rs 5,37,500 and several incriminating documents were discovered during searches at P C Singh’s home.
P C Singh was detained by the ED on April 12, 2023, and on April 13, 2023, he appeared before the Ld. Special Court, PMLA in Jabalpur. The Ld. Court granted the ED custody of P C Singh till April 27, 2023, and he is now in judicial custody. Multiple instances of the diversion of millions of dollars intended to be paid to the trust established by CNI in exchange for the sale of properties have been prima facie shown. The probe is being expanded upon.
