The Church of South India’s bishop in Vellore will appear before a government tribunal this week to respond to charges of corruption.

The Church of South India’s bishop in Vellore will appear before a government tribunal this week to respond to charges of corruption. The Rt. Rev. A Rajavelu has been ordered to appear before the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption in Tamil Nadu State on 4 May 2016 to answer charges that he and his confederates had demanded bribes from candidates for employment at the church-owned Voorhees College. On 21 March 2016 a preliminary police investigation found twenty assistant professors were asked to pay bribes of $8000 to $25,000 to secure employment at the school. An affidavit submitted to the police by Voorhees College alumnus N Surendra Kumar last year alleged the “candidates were asked to pay the amount in the name of a close relative (of the candidate) into the account number for ‘building development purposes’.” On 19 May 2015 the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Vellore, Judge Sivakadatchham, directed the police to review the charges.  Corruption among the bishops of the Church of South India has plagued the church over the past decade. Two former bishops have been convicted of fraud and the trials of several bishops for theft are on-going.