Recently, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition seeking to quash Criminal Proceedings against George Alencherry's alleged irregularities in the sale of properties belonging to Ernakulam-Angamalay Archdiocese. The Court rejected a petition by  George Alencherry, challenging the judgements of the Kerala High Court which refused to quash the criminal proceedings against him over the land scam.

"We express our displeasure towards the subsequent orders passed by the High Court and quashed them. At the same time, dismissed the appeal and SLPs. Subsequent orders, which have been passed after the impugned order, are quashed. The impugned judgment is upheld with certain observations and directions", the Court noted.

Back in January, the division bench comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Bela Trivedi had questioned Kerala High Court about the approaches taken in continuing to issue further directions in the matter, after the dismissal of the Section 482 CrPC petition filed by the Cardinal.

It may be recalled that last year, the High Court issued follow-up directions to the State to identify public properties encroached by on religious trusts. The High Court had also recommended that the Central Government should bring a uniform law to regulate religious trusts.

It was also alleged that valuable properties were disposed of at throwaway prices are the result of a criminal conspiracy hatched between the Alencherry in collusion with his henchmen and the persons who had purchased the properties. He is facing charges for cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery, criminal conspiracy etc., punishable under Section 120 B, 406, 409, 418, 420, 423, 465, 467, 468 and 34 of IPC for his offences.