The Kerala High Court, on March 24, declined to quash the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against former Church of South India (CSI) Bishop A Dharmaraj Rasalam in the Karakonam CSI Medical College corruption case.
The ED had named Rasalam as the second accused in the case, which is currently being heard by the Special Court for cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The plea filed by Rasalam seeking to nullify the chargesheet was dismissed by Justice V.G. Arun. A detailed copy of the court's order is awaited.
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The case revolves around allegations that, in 2019, the former Bishop, along with other accused individuals, collected over Rs. 7 crore from parents of aspiring medical students, promising them admissions to Karakonam CSI Medical College. Several complaints were filed by parents, alleging that college officials had taken large sums of money under the pretext of securing admissions for MBBS and PG courses. However, the students were reportedly not granted admission despite these payments.
In response to the allegations, the Enforcement Directorate registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Rasalam in 2020. However, the plea submitted in court highlighted that the Crime Branch had already investigated the case and filed a final report in 2021 before the magistrate’s court. The report stated that the allegations were false and that the case had been fabricated to recover admission fees.
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Despite this, the ED proceeded with its own investigation under Sections 44 and 45 of the PMLA. On May 8, 2024, the agency filed a complaint in the Special Court for PMLA cases in Ernakulam.
The plea argued that the ED continued its probe and filed the charge sheet without considering the findings of the Crime Branch’s investigation and its final report. Rasalam's petition sought to quash the ED’s charge sheet and related proceedings, but the Kerala High Court ruled against it, allowing the case to move forward.
Case Title: A Dharmaraj Rasalam V Assistant Director, Directorate Of Enforcement
Case No: Crl.MC 1932/2025
