New Delhi, Apr 28 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that they recently carried out search operations at five locations - Pune, Pachmarhi and Indore (MP), Jalandhar, and Kolkata - in connection with the church funds embezzlement case.

During the searches, various incriminating documents were recovered and seized, it said.

The ED initiated investigation on the basis of the FIR registered by the EOW, Jabalpur (MP) under various sections of the IPC against P.C. Singh, Chairman of the Board of Education, Church of North India, Jabalpur.

"Prima facie, various office bearers of CNI, including P.C. Singh and earlier Managing Director of a trust under the CNI, were found involved in the gross misappropriation of Church properties through sale/renting out at much lower prices by showing the properties as deteriorating and encroached," an ED official said.

"For example, 1 acre land with building at Satpura National Park & Hill Station, Panchmarhi was rented out for the period of 15 years on Rs 12,500 per month to a private entity namely Satpura Resorts Private Ltd."

Earlier searches were conducted by the ED at six premises related to Singh at Jabalpur, Mumbai, Ranchi, and Nagpur on March 15 and at 3 premises at Ranchi on March 18.

During searches an amount of Rs 5,37,500 was recovered from the residence of Singh, along with various incriminating documents.

Singh was arrested on April 12, and presently he is in judicial custody.

The ED probe, so far, has, prima facie, revealed multiple instances of diversion of crores of rupees meant to be paid to the trust under CNI against sale of properties.