Kochi, July 13: A special NIA court in Kerala on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment three of the six persons convicted in the sensational 2010 case in which a college professor’s hand was chopped off. The court termed it a “terror act” for which the convicts “don’t deserve any leniency”.
The right hand of T J Joseph, professor of Newman College in Thodupuzha in Idukki district, was chopped off by alleged activists of the now banned radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) on July 4, 2010.
Special NIA court judge Anil K Bhaskar sentenced Sajil, Nasar and Najeeb to life term under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for the offence of being part of a terrorist organisation.
The remaining three convicts – Noushad, P P Moideen Kunhu and Ayoob – were sentenced to three years for harbouring the offenders in the case.
“What has been committed is a terrorist act. The nation and its citizenry also suffered a lot. Terrorism has been recognised as one of the six most severe threats to civilisation, security and humanity. The act of the accused is a challenge to the secular fabric of our nation.
“It attempts to establish a parallel religious judicial system which is absolutely illegal, illegitimate and unconstitutional. It has no place in independent India under our constitutional scheme. A country governed by the rule of law cannot fathom it,” the court said in its order while passing the sentence. It also said that “this most uncivilised act” of the accused “cannot be countenanced at all”. “Therefore, from the nation’s standpoint, the sentence to be imposed shall be a deterrent, convicts don’t deserve any leniency,” the court said. (PTI)
