On 29 July, 1955, Mr. Ninan Daniel, of Kurumthottikkal, Melukara Pathanamthitta District and three others filed a civil suit in District Court of Kottayam against the then Metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Church Most Rev. Juhanon Mar Thoma and six others.

 

According to Mr. Daniel, the Metropolitan favoured and accepted the faith of the Jacobite Church and as such he had no right to enter any Mar Thoma Churches and  that he should not be allowed  to continue as the Supreme Head of the Church. This case is known as the Daniel case.

 

This litigation lasted for almost 10 years and the final  judgment from the Supreme Court of India came on 7 Jan 1965. In all the three courts (The District court- Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court) verdicts were against Mr. Daniel. This case was an unfortunate event in the history of our Church and resulted in the formation of the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India on 26 January 1961.