Court Takes Action Against Gang Involved in Rs 2000 Crore Land Scam of Churches and Missionaries

A major development has taken place in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, where the court has initiated a trial in the case of land worth billions of rupees being fraudulently seized from churches and missionaries. The court took strong action by canceling the bail of the accused who had been absconding for nearly 12 years. The accused had initially secured bail using forged documents, which was later revoked. The police's handling of the case has come under scrutiny, as the accused continued to roam freely despite being fugitives.

In 2012, Arun Thomas filed a complaint with the police, alleging that the accused—Sunil K Masih, Anand Samson, William Dilawar, and Elia Pradeep Samuel—had encroached on valuable land belonging to the Methodist Church. The court declared the accused as fugitives and issued Non-Bailable Warrants (NBW) against them, but the police failed to take action for nearly 12 years, even though the accused lived just in front of a police station.

Fake Documents and Bail Revoked

In 2024, the accused managed to obtain bail using fake documents, prompting Arun Thomas, through his lawyer Updesh Kumar Gupta, to file an application for bail cancellation. On April 24, 2025, District Judge Sudhir Kumar Pancham ruled that the court had been misled and canceled the bail. The judge also ordered the case to proceed under section 379 of the BNSS and took suo motu cognizance to ensure prosecution.

Stolen Property Worth Rs 2000 Crore

Pastor Albert Benjamin revealed that the gang, led by Sunil Masih, had sold property belonging to the missionaries, worth an estimated Rs 2000 crore, including church and college land. They allegedly used fake stamps and forged documents to facilitate these sales.

Concerns Over Police Inaction

Advocate Updesh Kumar Gupta raised concerns about the involvement of the Bareilly police, suggesting that the accused had been allowed to remain free despite being under police surveillance. This has raised questions about deliberate negligence on the part of law enforcement.

Thanks to the court's intervention, the victims of this land scam, which targeted Bareilly's churches and missionaries, now have renewed hope for justice. Pastor Albert Benjamin confirmed that the accused had illegally sold land belonging to the Methodist College, further exacerbating the scale of the fraud.