Kochi, Jan 14, 2020: The issue of land deals has come up for discussion during the Synod session of the Syro-Malabar Church now under-way at the Church headquarters in Kochi.

Nine bishops of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese raised the issue on January 13 when a suggestion came up that the Synod could admit to the losses incurred because of the land deals.

Cardinal George Alencherry, head of the Church who is entangled the land deal controversy, informed the members that the losses could not be recovered without selling the land.

The bishops wanted a clear declaration of the ways of restitution, instead of admission of lapses. To this, the cardinal said he had not made any monetary gains out of these deals. The bishops, however, suggested that the cardinal could explain his stand in the matter before the priests and laity and convince them.

The Synod is yet to release an official statement regarding the discussions and decisions taken in the meeting.

“There came some suggestions from the Synod regarding the ways in which the losses can be rectified but no official statement has been released by the Synod. Earlier, the Synod had accepted that severe lapses occurred from the cardinal’s part,” said a source in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese.

A source said the coming days of the Synod meeting are crucial. “As Synod concludes on Wednesday (January 15), some major decisions will be taken,” he said. The Synod began on January 7.