New Delhi [India], July 14 : A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) trial court in Kerala's Ernakulam has pronounced a life sentence for three of the six Popular Front of India (PFI) cadres convicted a day ago in the 2010 case of attempted murder of a professor by chopping off his palm, the agency said on Friday.
The court pronounced its judgment on Thursday awarding life sentence to Sajil, Najeeb and MK Nazar along with fine of Rs 50,000 each.
Other three convicted on Thursday are MK Nausha, PP Moideenkunu and PM Ayoob. They were sentenced to three years imprisonment.
The court also ordered compensation of Rs 4,00,000 to be given to the victim from the fine amount collected.
All the six accused had been convicted under Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act. They were found guilty of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and carrying out terrorist acts.
The National Investigation Agency is still hunting for chargesheeted accused Savad, who was part of the barbaric attack and is currently absconding, and is also a cadre of the banned PFI.
The accused had conspired to kill Professor TJ Joseph by chopping off his right palm over his alleged derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammed in a question paper prepared for the Malayalam examination for B. Com students in Newman College, Thodupuzha in Kerala's Idukki district.
The accused had deemed the question as provocative and had carried out the barbaric daylight attack on the professor in the presence of his family members on July 4, 2010, said the NIA.
The accused had attacked the professor while the family was returning from church after the Sunday morning mass. The assailants had also hurled a bomb to terrorise the public and escape from the scene.
Kerala Police had, on January 10, 2011 filed a chargesheet against 27 accused persons.
Subsequently, the NIA took over the case and, following extensive investigations and large number of raids, arrested and chargesheeted another 20 accused, in a classic example of 360 degree investigation by the agency.
NIA’s investigation has been focused on uncovering the various facets of the conspiracy and bringing every single conspirator and criminal to face the consequences of his terror and criminal acts in the court of law, while concurrently bringing some solace, succor and closure to the victim’s family.
In April 2015, the NIA special court had convicted 13 accused persons.
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