Delhi Bishop quits amid a flurry of allegations

Sunil Kumar Singh, Bishop of the Church of North India (Delhi Diocese), resigned on July 25 following repeated allegations of corruption and improper behaviour, multiple sources have told The Hindu .

On his part, the Bishop said he had quit due to health reasons, but Church members told this newspaper that the resignation had come following pressure from within the Delhi Diocese.

Pradeep Samantroy, a member of the Church of North India (CNI) synod, told

The Hindu by telephone from Leh, “We received Bishop Sunil Singh’s letter stating that he wants to resign from his post due to health reasons. The synod met and agreed to approve the request.”

Asked to respond to the charges of corruption and improper behaviour, Mr. Samantroy, Bishop of Amritsar, who has been given additional charge of the Delhi Diocese, said: “I cannot tell you more than this. I cannot comment.”

Despite repeated efforts, former Bishop Singh could not be reached to ascertain the reasons for his resignation. However, one CNI member said, “The Bishop had taken over in 2007 and still had seven years of service left. He was forced to resign following complaints of financial irregularities and misconduct.”

A source at the National Council of Churches in India said the resignation by the Bishop was “extraordinary”.

When contacted, Additional Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) S.B.S Tyagi said the police had not received any complaint of improper behaviour against former Bishop Sunil Singh.