chandigarh

Updated: Apr 03, 2019 10:08 IST

Father Anthony Madassary, 46, who heads the Franciscan Missionaries of Jesus in Jalandhar, is no ordinary priest.

Anthony, who was detained by police and income tax officials with alleged “unaccounted” cash totalling Rs 9.66 crore on Friday, runs a business with an annual turnover of Rs 40 crore. He runs a private firm, ‘Sahodhaya’, with three other priests, Father Jose, Father Paul and Father Scara Shine, as partners. They supply books and stationery to over 45 schools of the diocese, besides having interests in construction business and security services.

The priest, who claimed the money to be business proceeds, created a flutter by accusing that of the total Rs 16.65 crore taken from his house, the police declared only Rs 9.66 crore and misappropriated the rest. An inquiry has been ordered by DGP Dinkar Gupta into his allegations.

Son of a small farmer in Kerala’s Kochi, the rise of Anthony, who came to Punjab 31 years ago, has been meteoric. He took over the Jalandhar Franciscan Missionaries of Jesus congregation in 2014 and started Sahodhaya to what he calls “generate employment for needy people”.

“I had taken permission from the bishop to start the company in 2008. At present, more than 500 employees are associated with it. We pay our taxes,” he said, claiming income tax payments of Rs 70 lakh in 2017-18 and advance income tax of Rs 50 lakh in 2018-19.

The priest, who lives in a big house with huge lawns at Pratappura village, said the money was kept at his house because company employees had refused to go and deposit it in the bank due to the model code of conduct in view of the parliamentary polls.

“We have provided all relevant records to the income tax department,” he claimed.

Though Anthony has denied the ‘hawala’ transaction charges, this is the second major controversy involving the Jalandhar diocese. Last year, Bishop Franco Mulakkal was arrested by the Kerala police for allegedly raping a nun multiple times. He is currently out on bail granted by the Kerala high court.

Agnelo Grcias, acting bishop, Jalandhar diocese, in a statement said, “Some of our priests are running ‘Sahodhya’ in partnership with due permission. However, these firms are not run by our diocese. The venture is lawful.”