KOCHI: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Kochi on Thursday awarded life imprisonment to three of the six convicts in a 2010 case wherein a Malayalam professor’s palm was chopped off by members of now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI).
The three remaining convicts were sentenced to three years of imprisonment. The court also imposed a total fine of ₹4 lakh on all the convicts and directed that it be paid to the victim.
On July 4, 2010, TJ Joseph, a former head of Malayalam department of Newman College in Thodupuzha, was attacked by a group of PFI workers in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district. The PFI members chopped off Joseph’s right palm and stabbed his left leg with a hatchet for allegedly using the name of Prophet Mohammed in a blasphemous manner in an internal exam question paper. Joseph was later terminated from the college for hurting religious sentiments.
The trial in the case was held in two phases. In the first phase, 31 people were examined following which 13 were convicted. While 10 were awarded prison terms of eight years each for offences under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Explosive Substances Act and Indian Penal Code, three were found guilty for harbouring the offenders and awarded two-year rigorous imprisonment. NIA has petitioned the Kerala high court to enhance the punishment of all the convicts in the first phase and examine the acquittal of the remaining.
On Wednesday, six people were convicted and five others acquitted as part of the second-phase trial.
{{/usCountry}}On Wednesday, six people were convicted and five others acquitted as part of the second-phase trial.
{{/usCountry}}“To have uniformity among the accused, imprisonment for life is to be awarded for sec 20 of the UA(P) Act and imprisonment for 10 years is to be awarded for the offence u/s 16 and 18 of the UA(P) Act, sec 307 of IPC and sec 3 of Explosive Substance Act with a further direction to pay a fine of ₹50,000 each,” justice Anil K Bhaskar said in his order on Thursday.
The life sentences were awarded to second accused Sajil (36), third accused MK Nasar (48) and fifth accused Najeeb (42) under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Indian Penal Code and The Explosives Act for possessing weapons, conspiracy, damaging vehicle and indulging in terrorist activities, among others.
MK Naushad (48), PP Moideenkunju (60) and PM Ayub (48) were sentenced to three years for on charges of harbouring offender, criminal conspiracy and omitting information about the offence. They were subsequently granted bail to approach a higher court. They were subsequently granted bail to approach a higher court.
Ashamannur Sawad, the first accused in the case who chopped off the professor’s palm with a machete, is still absconding and is reportedly based in the UAE. Earlier this year, NIA had announced a reward of ₹10 lakh for information on Sawad.
Reacting to the quantum of punishment, Joseph told reporters: “It doesn’t affect me what form of punishment is handed to the convicts. Let legal experts discuss if the punishment is small or big. The court has pronounced its verdict and I have no feelings about it. I am an ordinary citizen and I was attacked in the name of some primitive beliefs. That’s over. I have already endured the suffering and pain and I have no interest if anyone’s punished or tortured in my name.”