CBI inquiry sought into Rector murder case

A host of priests, members of Catholic Kannada organisations and Karnataka Kannada Dharmagurugala Balaga on Saturday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder of Rector K J Thomas of St Peter Pontifical Seminary at Malleswaram last year.

“We express our total displeasure over the way the investigation has taken place, as innocent people have been arrested. Bangalore Archbishop Bernard Moras, Home Minister K J George and the then DCP Victor D’Souza decided the probe and directed the police to complete it in the decided way. Hence, a CBI probe should be ordered into the Rector’s case to unearth the truth,” they said at a press conference.

They alleged that Moras was responsible for diverting the focus on the investigation and targeting Kannada Catholic organisations. “Fathers Elias and William Patrick are innocent and have been made scapegoats in the entire episode,” they said.

They urged the State government to immediately halt Moras’ foreign trip and subject him to an interrogation to uncover the truth.

The investigation and the inquiry concentrated on Kannada Catholic priests and Kannada Catholic organisations. The police did not have knowledge of the basic structure of the seminary. George is a Catholic belonging to a different linguistic community, they said.

Father Elias, William Patrick and Peter were arrested after the appointment of a Konkani priest as the bishop to Shimoga Diocese against the aspirations of the local Christians. A day later, Bangalore Archbishop Moras is scheduled to leave for a foreign trip. We believe everything is predetermined, they said.

Moras should resign as archbishop and cooperate with the police to take the case to its logical end, they added.

Meanwhile, the Bangalore City police remained tight-lipped about the investigation and said that the three suspects were remanded in police custody for seven days. “We have nothing much to share as they are yet to be interrogated,” said an officer heading the investigation.