Home minister, archbishop derailed murder probe, say priests

Times of India
March 22, 2014

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Home-minister-archbishop-derailed-murder-probe-say-priests/articleshow/32511750.cms

BANGALORE: The Karnataka Kannada Priests' Association has condemned the investigation into the murder of Fr KJ Thomas. Members of the association on Saturday termed as "false, fabricated, conspired and framed" the investigation into the priest's murder. It criticized home minister KJ George and Archbishop Bernard Moras of pressurizing the police to nab innocent priests.

The members demanded a CBI inquiry into the murder, which happened 11 months ago at Yeshwantpur seminary, saying the minister and the archbishop were protecting the culprits. Three innocent men (two priests and an altar boy) were nabbed to close the case, they alleged.

"George and the archbishop have made every effort to derail the investigation. We demand the state government stops the archbishop from flying abroad. His tickets are booked for Sunday night (March 24); he should resign from the post until the investigations are over," they said.

Fr A Thomas, president of the association, said Fr Elias was falsely framed to close the case. "Fr Elias is trained in the seminaries of Mangalore (Firangipet) and Mysore and belongs to the Carmelite order. If he has to fight for the post, he should do it either for Firangipet or Mysore. To say he fought for Yeshwantpur seminary makes no sense," he said. "Some media reports claim the police sources have said that Fr Elias was involved in the murder for the sake of position in the seminary," the association said.

Fr Thomas also said there was pressure on the police to crack the case as early as possible. The chief minister had set March 30 as the deadline for completion of investigation.