Kochi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, today, sentenced the accused in connection with the hand chopping of Professor TJ Joseph. Three of the accused Sajil Makkar, MK Nazer and Najeeb are sentenced to life imprisonment whereas MK Noushad, PP Moideen Kunju and PM Ayoob have to serve three years in jail. All the accused are members of banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI).
The court also ordered the accused to pay Rs. 50,000 each as penalty and should collectively pay Rs. 4 lakh to Professor TJ Joseph.
The court had found six of the accused guilty and five were acquitted. The case pertains to the attack against Professor TJ Joseph of Newman College in Thodupuzha on July 4, 2010. The PFI terrorists attacked the professor and chopped of his right hand for allegedly insulting prophet Mohammed in an examination question paper.
The verdict was in the second phase of the trial based on a supplementary charge sheet filed against eleven accused. In 2015, the court had delivered a verdict against 31 accused, found 13 guilty and let off 18. All the 31 accused are also members of PFI.
The 11 accused named in the supplementary charge sheet were absconding during the first trial. Later on some of them surrendered and the others were arrested by the NIA. Savad, the first accused is still absconding. He is said to have chopped of the professor’s palm. It is believed that he is in hiding in a foreign country.
After the controversy broke out over the question paper prepared by Professor TJ Joseph, Muslim outfits took to the streets to protest. The professor was arrested and later released on bail.
The PFI terrorists attacked him while he was returning home from church. The attackers were armed with explosives materials and weapons. They were charged under various sections of IPC, UAPA and the Explosives Substance Act.
UAPA was slapped on the accused after NIA took over the investigation from Kerala police and found that the attack was an act of terrorism.
Here are the charges against the accused in a nutshell.
Sajil:
UAPA Section 15 (Activities against the unity and integrity of the country.
Section 16 (Conspiracy)
Section 20 (Membership in the terrorist organisation)
IPC Section 307 (Attempt to murder)
Section 143 (Illegal congregation)
Section 148 (Rioting with lethal weapons)
Section 201 (Destruction of evidences)
Section 212 (Abetment and protection of the accused)
Section 341 (Illegal detention by force)
Section 427 (Destruction)
Section 323 (Cause injuries)
Section 324 (Cause injuries with lethal weapons)
Section 326 (Cause serious injuries with lethal weapons)
Section 506 (Threatening)
Section 153A (Promoting religious enmity)
Section 120B (Criminal conspiracy)
Explosive Act
Section 3 (Explosion to endanger the life and properties)
Nasser:
Anti-national activities, under UAPA, against the unity and integrity of the country and conspiracy. Then all charges against Sajil except for illegal congregation under IPC, abetment and protection of the accused.
Najeeb:
Anti-national activities under UAPA against the unity and integrity of the country and conspiracy and all charges against Sajil except for illegal congregation under IPC, rioting with lethal weapons and destruction of evidences.
Noushad, Moideenkunju and Ayoob:
IPC Section 202 (Not informing the authorities despite knowing in advance about the crime)
IPC Section 212 (Abetment and protection of the accused)
IPC 120B (Criminal conspiracy)
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