A pattern repeatedly observed across several global Christian organisations appears to be resurfacing in Andhra Pradesh: first, cultivate goodwill and build a benevolent image through charity; next, create an atmosphere of trust; and finally, when circumstances become favourable, indulge in financial misconduct while seeking refuge under religious sanctity. It is against this backdrop that allegations against senior figures within the Roman Catholic establishment in Andhra Pradesh have now emerged, raising serious concerns over the misuse of ecclesiastical authority.
The Old Guntur Police have registered a criminal case against Bishop Jayarao Polimera of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Eluru and several others under Section 420 IPC read with Section 34, following allegations of fund diversion, cheating donors, and large-scale financial fraud linked to the Prema Seva Charitable Trust, Gowripatnam, West Godavari District.
The FIR is based on a detailed complaint filed by Lakshmi Durga, a social worker and RTI activist from Guntur, who accuses the Bishop and his associates of transferring funds collected by the Seva Charitable Trust into the accounts of the Diocese of Eluru. She describes these transactions as “brazen violations”, “misuse of religious authority”, and “deliberate sabotage” of the Trust’s long-running free-meal programme. (Police invoked IPC sections, not BNS, as the alleged offence period precedes 1 July 2024.)
According to the complainant, the Trust — backed by an FCRA licence and widely known for its free-meal initiative feeding thousands for decades — collected nearly Rs 7.5 crore in public donations, with a majority of contributors being Hindu donors. She herself reportedly donated ₹10,000 and encouraged others to support the programme as a noble service.
However, matters allegedly took a drastic turn after Bishop Jayarao took charge of the Eluru Diocese in 2013 as ordered by Pope of Vatican. Despite having no formal role in the Trust, he and his team allegedly asserted control, interfered in administration, and disrupted the meal programme — contrary to the intent of donors and in violation of the Trust’s bylaws.
The complaint accuses Bishop Jayarao, along with Father Raju, Moses, Dhara Ravi, Father John Peter, and free-meal contractor Nageshwar Rao, of diverting funds meant for feeding the poor; denying meals to Church visitors and forcing them to leave hungry; misusing public donations for personal gain; openly violating Trust regulations; and illegally collecting money from well-wishers without issuing receipts.
The complainant further alleges that Fathers Raju and John Peter collected unrecorded donations from Church visitors, kept a significant portion for themselves, and then passed a share of this illicit income “up the chain” to the Bishop.
In a particularly alarming claim, she states that banners were displayed inside the Trust premises warning visitors not to donate, stating they “will be cheated”. Loudspeaker announcements reportedly repeated the same warning — an unprecedented situation that heightened suspicion among donors and regular Church-goers.
The most serious allegation concerns the illegal transfer of Rs 31 lakh on 2 May 2025 from the Trust’s bank account to the Eluru Diocese account, allegedly using a cheque signed by an unauthorised person.
The complainant says she received this information from credible sources. Although the amount was reportedly re-deposited after the bank manager realised the legal implications, she maintains that the Bishop used his influence to evade accountability.
Calling it “a clear case of criminal breach of trust”, she has demanded stringent action against the Bishop, his associates, and the bank manager concerned — including recovery of diverted funds and restoration of the free-meal programme in line with donor intentions.
Old Guntur Police have registered a Zero FIR and transferred the case to Devarapally Police Station in West Godavari district, where the Trust is based, for a full-scale investigation.
The Eluru Diocese is one of the oldest ecclesiastical jurisdictions in Andhra Pradesh. It covers the entire old West Godavari district and parts of East Godavari district. Missionary activity in and around Eluru traces back to 1864, initiated by PIME missionaries during the British colonial period.
LRPF Files Separate Complaint to South Indian Bank Over “Fraudulent Transfer”
In a parallel development, the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) has lodged a separate complaint with the Nodal Officer of South Indian Bank, seeking an immediate probe into what it describes as a fraudulent and unauthorised transfer of Rs 31 lakh from the Prema Seva Charitable Trust to the Diocese of Eluru.
According to LRPF, on 2 May 2025, an amount of Rs 31,00,000 was unlawfully withdrawn from Account No linked to Trust and transferred to the Diocese’s account. The transfer was allegedly executed using Cheque, which the branch manager processed despite the cheque carrying the signature of an unauthorised individual.
LRPF argues that the transaction was carried out without the knowledge, consent, or approval of the Trust’s managing body, constituting a deliberate abuse of banking authority.
The complaint asserts that this act violates the RBI Master Direction on KYC, the RBI Master Circular on Customer Service in Banks, and the Internal Control and Anti-Fraud Guidelines.
Furthermore, LRPF notes that permitting an unauthorised person to operate the account — particularly for a high-value cheque — contravenes Sections 46 and 47A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which hold bank officials personally liable for wilful misconduct and regulatory breaches.
Financial crimes within Christian institutions:
Financial crimes within Christian institutions, particularly those involving individuals holding the stature of Bishop, are increasingly surfacing in the public domain. This is significant in Andhra Pradesh, where dioceses wield substantial religious authority and enjoy considerable political influence. Under the Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam, the major units include the Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam itself, along with the Dioceses of Vijayawada, Eluru, Guntur, Nellore, Srikakulam and Kadapa (Cuddapah). These bodies oversee hundreds of educational institutions, Church-run institutes, NGOs and social-welfare projects across the state, operating with budgets running into thousands of crores. Yet, whenever allegations of financial irregularities arise, they are frequently suppressed or kept away from public scrutiny, while the same groups readily amplify even minor accusations involving Hindu institutions.
In Kerala, for instance, the November 2020 Income Tax raids on the Believers Eastern Church uncovered roughly Rs 6 crore in unexplained cash, pointing to alleged diversion of large foreign donations through shell trusts for non-charitable purposes. Likewise, in July 2022, the Enforcement Directorate raided the CSI South Kerala Diocese, including Bishop A. Dharmaraj Rasalam’s residence and the offices of college director Dr Bennet Abraham and secretary T. T. Praveen. Investigators alleged capitation-fee collections, black-money parking and money-laundering linked to admissions at the Dr Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College in Karakonam.
Other southern dioceses have also come under scrutiny: the Mylapore Archdiocese and the Chengalpattu Diocese have faced a PIL alleging illegal land sales and large-scale embezzlement; the CSI Madurai–Ramnad Diocese has been the subject of whistleblower complaints about misappropriation; and the Tuticorin Diocese has been in the news for its controversial role in the agitation leading to the closure of the Sterlite copper plant.
These Church-linked organisations and institutions are alleged to escape proper audits and social accountability simply because they operate under religious sanctity, where any allegation against them is quickly reframed as an “attack on Christianity”, a dangerous template used by the Church and the evangelical lobby.
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