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Dimapur, March 2 (EMN): The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has appealed to the courts not to grant bail to a person, one Jaim Philip Thomas from Kerala, who allegedly duped the church council of money.
In 2019, according to a press release, the accused allegedly ordered textbooks amounting to more than INR 5 lakh but ‘did not receive the ordered books, making it liability for the NBCC which had to pay penalty and transportation charges in returning the text books to several companies in New Delhi.’
Without clearing the liabilities, the accused person fled from Nagaland, stated a press release appended by the general secretary of the NBCC and its legal advisor, received here. The press release issued on Monday appealed to the court not to grant bail to the person.
According to the press release, Jaim Philip Thomas, said to be a headmaster of “Around Saramati School” in Pungro of Kiphire district was arrested in Uttar Pradesh.
The press release explained that the NBCC has a ministry since the past few years to help schools in far-flung areas across Nagaland.
'Due to distance and less educated people in remote areas, NBCC selected few text books relevant to the context and supply to affiliated schools and other private schools interested in joining the common text book programme.
It was a yearly programme to go to Pungro and give door delivery to the schools who ordered text books through the NBCC school ministry,' the press release stated.
The NBCC raised strong objections against granting bail in favour of the accused person Jaim Philip Thomas.
The statement read: ‘Mr. Jaim Philip Thomas, who hails from Kerala, has badly cheated the NBCC and the people in and around Pungro while running a private school named “Around Saramati School,” Pungro, Kiphire, Nagaland. In the year 2018 the accused person took text books amounting to INR 3,75,100 through NBCC and did not make the payment despite several assurances to NBCC.’
‘In the year 2019, the accused person ordered text books amounting to more than INR 5 lakh and did not receive the said ordered text books making liability to NBCC where NBCC has to pay penalty and transportation charges in returning the text books to several companies in New Delhi and without clearing the liabilities the accused person ran away from Nagaland and disconnected all his contact numbers.’
The NBCC was compelled to lodge an FIR against Thomas, the press release stated. After obtaining a warrant of arrest, the police from Nagaland went to arrest him in Uttar Pradesh ‘at the expense of the NBCC.’
‘The accused person was arrested in UP and brought to Kohima on 16th Feb, 2020 and till date he never approach NBCC in person. The accused person Jaim Philip Thomas has created liabilities to NBCC more than INR 7 lakh. NBCC was surprised to learn that the accused person was trying to escape again in moving a bail application,’ it stated.
The press release stated that that if at all bail is to be granted in favour of the accused person at this stage “the accused person would go on bail at his own risk.”
‘However, the NBCC prays to the court not to grant bail at this stage for the interest of justice,’ it added.