India Union Director Confronts Officers about Financial Misdeeds
22 July 2018 | In a letter obtained by Adventist Today, Elder Joshi Victor Rayavarapu, Health and Temperance Director of the East Central India Union, writes to the union’s executive committee and church constituency, documenting financial misdeeds being committed by union officers, president Chinta John Victor, secretary Cherukuri Samuel Paul, and treasurer Pilli Edward Prasad.
In the letter, Rayavarapu claims that the budget is not adhered to nor reviewed by the Union Committee, nor is there committee approval of money spent. “I see lakhs [hundreds of thousands] of rupees of loss in the union statement, and how was it processed without the committee approving?”
The entire letter can be read here.
Rayavarapu says that the required salary audits are done privately, without the committee’s involvement. Health insurance details, overseas travel budgets and cell-phone purchases are not disclosed or approved, as required by policy.
In addition, he notes that:
- The treasurer spent money on property in Hyderabad “without the permission of the committee. Is this not unauthorized spending?”
- “Many court cases are going on and not one is brought to the attention and approval of the committee; thousands of rupees are spent. No committee approval. … What is our response to the constituency and the Lord?”
- “The retired workers have been suffering so much for the non payment of the gratuity to them. Even after two to three years after their retirement. The union executive committee has appointed a gratuity committee of which I am a committee member; so far in the last three years not once the chairman, the treasurer of the union, has called for a committee nor the available funds made known to anyone. This has to be brought to light and the suffering of the pioneer workers be set right.”
Rayavarapu writes, “The Union Committee has been reduced by these three officers to the level of nothing, and lakhs of rupees spent by these three [the officers] and the business office.”
He adds, “The financial situation is so alarming an emergency is needed to be declared.”
This follows a long history of allegations of financial misdeeds by the leaders of the Indian church, some of which have been reported by Adventist Today.
Adventist Today has requested a response from the accused ECIU officers.
