NIA court finds 13 guilty of chopping off Kerala professor’s hand

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, May 01, 2015: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Kerala’s Ernakulam district on Thursday found 13 people guilty in the 2010 case of the chopping of the hand of a college professor. The court acquitted 18 others in the case.

 

The NIA court said the investigation failed to produce enough evidences against the 18 accused who have been acquitted. Five of the accused, including the main accused Savaad and another man called Sajil, are still absconding.

On July 5, 2010, TJ Joseph’s right palm was chopped off by the activists of the Popular Front of India which accused the professor of insulting Prophet Muhammad in a question paper for an internal exam at Newman College, Thodupuzha, where he taught Malayalam.

The assault took place when a gang pulled him out of his car and chopped off his palm when he was returning home with his family after attending the Sunday mass.

Reacting to the verdict, Joseph said, " "Whatever be the verdict, it will not affect me..I have forgiven the attackers in the court of my conscience..I was denied justice by the authorities in reality..I did not get any compensation yet."

The trial in the case started in July, 2013. There are 54 accused in the case of which 37 were chargesheeted by the NIA. The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on May 5.


Couretsy: Indiatoday