Kochi: A group of Kerala priests staged a hunger strike, seeking action against cardinal George Alencherry. The priests stated that cardinal George Alencherry was accused in 14 cases and must not be allowed to continue to be in charge of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese.

On June 28 too, about 200 priests of the influential Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese publicly protested the Vatican's decision to reinstate cardinal George Alencherry as major archbishop with all administrative powers.

Alencherry had secured full powers of the major archbishop of the archdiocese after the Vatican directed bishop Jacob Manathodath to return to the Palakkad Diocese to carry out his pastoral duties.

Earlier Alencherry was removed from the post after allegations of his involvement in a land scam case surfaced. 

Along with Alencherry, three other priests also were arraigned in the case initiated by the local court in Kochi, Kerala. The land scam came to light when Shine Varghese registered a complaint. In his petition, he claimed that there were several financial losses incurred and fraudulent activities taking place in the church, on the backdrop of the sale of the church land. 

Varghese approached police to register a case, but they refused to accept the complaint. It was then that he approached the court in Kochi and registered the case.