Terming it a “terror act”, a special National Investigative Agency (NIA) court in Kerala on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment three of the six persons convicted in the sensational case in which a college professor’s hand was chopped off in 2010.
Special NIA court judge Anil K Bhaskar sentenced accused Sajil, Nasar and Najeeb to life term under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for the offence of being part of a terrorist organisation. The court said that the convicts do not deserve any “leniency”.
Professor T J Joseph’s right hand was chopped off allegedly by members of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) on July 4, 2010. He was teaching at the Newman College in Thodupuzha in Idukki district. The attack took place when Joseph was returning from church in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district after attending the Sunday mass.
The attackers, a group of seven people, pulled the professor out of the vehicle, assaulted him and then his right hand was chopped off by main accused Savad, who is still absconding. Police had said that the accused wanted to kill the professor allegedly for their derogatory remarks about one religion in a question paper that was set for B.Com semester exam.
The other three convicts — Noushad, P P Moideen Kunhu and Ayoob — were sentenced to three years for harbouring the offenders in the case.
“What has been committed is a terrorist act. The nation and its citizenry also suffered a lot. Terrorism has been recognised as one of the six most severe threats to civilisation, security and humanity. The act of the accused is a challenge to the secular fabric of our nation.
“It attempts to establish a parallel religious judicial system which is absolutely illegal, illegitimate and unconstitutional. It has no place in independent India under our constitutional scheme. A country governed by the rule of law cannot fathom it,” the court said in its order on the sentence.
The court called the heinous crime the most “uncivilised act” which cannot be “countenanced at all”, adding that the accused “struck terror in the people’s minds” by their violent activity.
“To avoid repeating similar incidents, imposing stringent punishment on the accused is highly necessary,” it said.
The court sentenced Sajil for the offences of committing a terrorist act and conspiracy to commit a terror act under the UAPA, attempted murder under the IPC and use of explosives under the Explosive Substances Act. Nasar and Najeeb were also sentenced by the court to 10 years for each of the offences of attempted murder and use of explosives.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 4 lakh on the convicts and directed that the amount be paid to the victim, Joseph.
