2010 hand chopping case: NIA court awards life imprisonment to 3 convicts

Judge Anil K Bhaskar handed down the life sentences to the second accused Sajil (36), third accused MK Nasar (48) and the fifth accused Najeeb (42), according to the NIA chargesheet

The special NIA court in Kochi on Thursday awarded life imprisonment to three convicts after second phase trial in the 2010 case in which a Malayalam professor’s palm was chopped off by now outlawed outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) members.

The first accused in the case Ashamannur Savad, who had directly played a role in the attack, remains at large. (Representative file image)

Judge Anil K Bhaskar handed down the life sentences to the second accused Sajil (36), third accused MK Nasar (48) and the fifth accused Najeeb (42), according to the NIA chargesheet.

Three others who were convicted by the court on Wednesday, were sentenced to three years of imprisonment under various charges.

They were identified as MK Naushad (48), PP Moideenkunju (60) and PM Ayub (48), who were granted bail in order to approach the higher court.

All the convicts were directed by the court to pay a fine of ₹4 lakh together to the victim.

However, the first accused in the case Ashamannur Savad, who had directly played a role in the attack on the professor, remains at large.

The NIA had earlier this year announced a reward of ₹10 lakh for those providing information about him.

“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,” the court order read.

The special court had on Wednesday convicted six of the 11 accused after second phase trial in the case.

On July 4, 2010, TJ Joseph, a professor of Malayalam of Newman College in Thodupuzha, was attacked by PFI activists who chopped off his right palm and stabbed his leg. The attack took place while he was returning home with his family after attending a Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district.

Reacting to the sentencing, Joseph said, “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.”