Founded in 1987 by Mathew Naickomparambil in Muringoor near Potta, the Catholic run Charismatic Divine Retreat Centre(CDRC) is projected as a byword for miraculous healing, cure for addictions, strong spiritual experiences, and a way of life founded on the Bible!. The propaganda is the blind can see, the dumb can talk and the lame can walk once he visits "Potta".Several months back based on an anonymous letter complaining about criminal and anti-social activities taking place at the center, High Court initiated a suo motu proceedings and ordered an SIT Inquiry into the allegation of foreign exchange violations by the center and unnatural deaths that took place in and around the center during a period of two years.
A team lead by Vinson M. Paul, Inspector General of Police probed into various allegations. What came tumbling out of Centre's closet were mind numbing allegations of sexual harassment, missing persons, mysterious deaths, financial irregularities and illegally running a hospital!. Based on the findings of investigation Director-General of Prosecutions (DGP) made a submission to court that ‘‘shocking’’ facts had been unearthed by the police and medical team that inspected Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, and that they could not be disclosed in open court, Justice K R Udayabhanu of the Kerala High Court on Monday directed the investigation team to submit a confidential report within two weeks.
It was found:-
1. During 1996-2006, as many as 974 premature deaths occurred at the centre, and bodies were cremated without providing information to the police. The documents were allegedly forged to make it appear that the deaths were natural.
2. Conducting of a psychiatric institution without license, administration of psychiatric drugs on several persons (15 persons are still at the centre).
3. Several persons were locked in cells. Persons showing violent signs are injected with some unknown drugs. Treatment is imparted by untrained persons. There are no medical practitioners at the centre.
However what followed after the investigation can be quoted as shining example of "secularism"
Congress strongly opposed the investigation. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala said
the Left Democratic Front Government (LDF) should apologise to the authorities of the Divine Retreat Centre at Muringoor for having "raided" it.Based on writ petition by Fr George Panackal, Director of the Centre, DGP was made to give an undertaking before the Kerala High Court that the results of the investigation by the special team investigating the allegations against Divine Retreat Centre Muringoor, Thrissur, would not be leaked out to the media.!
This march, The Supreme Court verdict e null and void the Kerala High Court single judge’s order for investigation into the functioning of the Divine Retreat Centre at Muringoor High Court judges cannot treat anonymous letters and petitions listing allegations against individuals or institutions as public interest litigation and order suo motu investigation.
Now no one remebers the investigation....
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2 comments:
The investigation against Divine Retreat Centre has started in 2005. The initial complaints to the Kerala High Court were anonymous. But after that, many people have come out with identities. This includes the father of a young man who has died in the Centre. He held a press conference in Cochin in 2006.
The Divine Retreat Center pursued the case to the Supreme Court. The law does not allow investigation based on an anonymous complaint. The case stands were criminal charges were filed against Fr.Joseph Panackel and other 10 people. Although the investigation was stalled, the charges have been moved to the local police station. The Divine Retreat Centre claims this as a victory as per their website http://www.drcm.org
Hi,
i did visit the retreat centre,Muringoor a couple of years back.
What I understand is the centre is making a fool of everyone with some illusions and preaches.
March 2004 was the first time I visited the centre.I witnessed a lady(I noted her name) who claimed to be blind from birth who regained her vision.I took a picture of hers and did store in my PC.A lot of fuss and drama was made claimimg God had given her sight and such Bla bla bla on the stage.
June 2005- the next time I visited the Centre and camped there for a week.On the third day was a similar event where the priest called out a ladys name.It was the same lady which I saw in 2004.This time she had changed her name and ofcourse the same old problem.. She was healed for blindness(again) which she claims was from birth.
The Centre does have some trained guys there to act and make a fool of others. Im sure the centre is making a lot of money claiming to do so called miracles.
Similarly,an experince where a man was paralysed for years was able to walk..
This is not just one experience.My collegues too had similar experiences.
Just one question to these guys(false prophets)- why dont you guys go and cure the sick in the hospitals.There are thousands of people dying everyday...thousands of children suffering from illness, AIDS etc. Why is it that you get miracles only in the centre.
One thing I need to tell the people is stop making a fool of yourself.. these guys are frauds who claim to see and speak to God.One great example is Pastor Benny Hinn.His identity is out,Living a life as a millionaire with the money he has made from sick people attending his speeches(SHOW).
Beware of these false prophets from Divine Retreat.
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