Three get life term in Kerala palm chopping case

Kochi, July 13 An NIA court here on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment three of the six persons convicted for chopping off the palm of Professor T. J. Joseph, .

The three who were sentenced to life imprisonment are Sajeel, Nasar and Najeeb, while the remaining three -- Naushad, Moideen and Ayub -- were sentenced to three years imprisonment.

On Wednesday, the NIA court declared six accused guilty of the heinous crime while five others were let off, based on the second supplementary charge sheet.

The court also asked the accused to pay Rs 4 lakh as compensation.

When asked whether Joseph was happy with the judgment, he said in the case, he is a witness.

"With regards to the quantum of punishment, it's for the experts to react and not me. With regards to the guilty, they think they have done the right thing as that's what's their ideology and that's what should change," said Joseph.

On police protection given to him and the amount of compensation, Joseph shot back, saying: "Yes, now I have protection, but at that time, I had informed the police thrice that I am getting threats, but no action was taken."

"With regards to the compensation, the state government is responsible and they have to give it, and it doesn't matter if it's collected from anyone," said Thomas.

The trial started in 2013 when the first supplementary charge-sheet was filed that had 38 accused, and two years later 13 were convicted.

The incident occurred on July 4, 2010, when Joseph, a professor of Malayalam at Newman College, Thodupuzha, a Christian minority institution affiliated with Mahatma Gandhi University, along with his family was returning after Sunday mass.

He was waylaid by a group of armed men and his palm was cut off.

The attackers belonging to the now banned Popular Front of India were upset over a question paper prepared by Joseph which they claimed was derogatory and in retaliation they cut off his palm and escaped.

Meanwhile, the prime accused in the case Sawad is still at large, and the NIA has not closed the case.

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