NIA Court Convicts Six Accused, Acquits Five in Prof. Joseph Hand Chopping Off Case

NEW DELHI: The Special Court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday convicted six of the accused in the gruesome Prof. Joseph hand-chopping case which happened in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district of Kerala on July 4, 2010.

The special NIA court headed by Special Judge Anil K. Bhaskar sentenced the second accused Sajil, third accused Nasar, fourth accused Najeeb, eighth accused Noushad, the eleventh accused Moitheen Kunju, and the twelfth accused Ayoob in the case.

Special Judge Bhaskar, however, had to let off Aseez Odakkali, Muhammad Rafi, Subair, Shefieq and Mansoor for lack of evidence against them in the case.

The case pertains to the gruesome incident of T. J. Joseph, a professor working at Newman College in Thodupuzha in Idukki district, who had his right hand chopped off allegedly by activists of the later banned Popular Front of India (PFI). The incident happened at the time when he was returning home with his family after having attended a Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district on July 4, 2010.

After its investigation, NIA said the accused were provoked to attack the teacher by a reference to Prophet Muhammad in one of the question papers set by Prof. Joseph for B. Com exams in March 2010.

According to the NIA chargesheet, there were a total of 54 accused in the case. Among these, as many as 37 were chargesheeted and 31 were made to face trial.

Out of the 31 facing trial, the Special Court for NIA convicted 13 of the accused and acquitted 18 others in April 2015.

The investigating agency has filed a plea before the Kerala High court to enhance the punishment of the accused, while challenging the acquittal of those who were tried in the case.

In the first phase of the trial in the case, the court convicted the 13 accused for various offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosive Substances Act and sections of the Indian Penal Code.

However, prime accused in the case Savad is absconding.

After the verdict on Wednesday, Joseph stated that he was unmoved by the outcome as he has never believed in the notion of punishing an accused as a means of delivery of justice to the victim.

“It only means that the law of the land has been implemented, according to me. So, actually, whether they are convicted or acquitted, personally I do not care either way,” he said.

He further argued that those caught and convicted in the case were only the ‘weapons’, whereas the real culprits who masterminded the attack are still out there.

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