Meanwhile, the centre has alleged a police vendetta after it challenged the High Court-ordered investigation and filed a review petition in the Supreme Court.
"Our move irritated the investigation team," which resulted in the charges, Fr. Panakkal said. "We will deal with it legally," the priest added in his statement. He asked supporters to pray for the centre.
Fr. Panakkal had also approached the Supreme Court of India seeking a stay on the police probe into its activities.
"Not a single family member of the 974 people who died here has raised any doubt," he said.
However, the apex court, rejecting the petition, said the police could continue their probe and should complete it as the High Court has directed.
"It's not fair of the court to stop the ongoing investigation. But if the investigation team wants to arrest any of the officials of the centre, the police officials should get prior permission from the Supreme Court," the Supreme Court judges said.
The judges also clarified that the investigation team has the authority to interrogate any centre official for the investigation.
Thomas Devaprasad, a journalist-turned-charismatic leader, said he was "anguished" by the "most unfortunate" turn of events. The centre is caught in "controversy and conspiracy," he added. Without elaborating, he said "time will reveal the conspiracy and expose the guilty."
Syro-Malabar Church spokesman Father Paul Thelakat said the Church has "faith in the judicial system and will wait for the law to take its course."
"The Church is sad as one of our prime institutions is under attack. It was a centre of hope for thousands of poor people who were shunted aside by society," Fr. Thalakat added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said his government was not planning to order any special probe but would follow the court directives. He also rejected the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) demand for immediate closure of the centre.
In a statement posted on the retreat's website, Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, said it was a "centre of healing and relief for the mentally sick and those abandoned by their own dear ones."
"Thousands of patients come here to pray for their healing. A large number of people get healings because of their faith," he said.
"Although there were court cases, the doors (of the centre) were left open for all. Anyone could at any time step in. At this Retreat Centre, to my knowledge, nothing is done secretly or under cover of concealment. That is precisely why when the Honourable Court ordered an inquiry, the Director of Divine Retreat Centre boldly declared that they would fully co-operate with the inquiry," the prelate added.
"Instead of observing and getting to know the ground realities, it is deplorable that a police investigation trespassing all the limits of decency and respectability was carried out. The media projection of the recent police investigation at the Divine Retreat Centre is itself despicable," the cardinal said.
