Seeks harsher punishment for the 10 convicts in attack on prof T J Joseph
Kerala High Court
Kochi: The National Investigation Agency probing lecturer T.J. Jospeh’s palm- chopping case on Wednesday filed appeals in the High Court against the NIA special court order acquitting the six accused. They are Ashraf (A-10), Sikkander Ali Khan (A-11), Kamarudheen (A-17), Fahad (A-18), Manaf (A-32) and P.V. Noushad (A-37).
The NIA also filed an appeal for enhancement of the quantum of sentence awarded on various counts to ten convicted accused, Jamal (A-2), Shobin (A-3), Shamsuddin (A-5), Shanavas (A-6), K.A. Pareeth (A-7), Younus Aliyar (A-8), Jaffar (A-9), K. K. Ali (A-12) Shejeer (A-27) and Kasim (A-29).
A separate appeal has been filed against the acquittal of three accused, Abdul Latheef (A-25), Anwar Sadique (A-34) and M. M. Riyas (A-36) for offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 though they were convicted under section 212 of the Indian Penal Code for harbouring the offenders in the case. NIA prosecutor M. Ajay filed the appeals after the central government directed the NIA under section 378(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure to present the appeals.
The special court order had brought shame to the NIA owing to the acquittal of the 18 accused and the meagre sentence awarded to the convicts. The court awarded eight-year rigorous imprisonment to 10 accused, including Jamal and four others who carried out the attack. Six, including the main accused Savad and chief conspirator M.K. Nasar, are still absconding.
The NIA in its chargesheet clarified that the accused had conspired together and a six-member team led by Savad had carried out the attack on prof Joseph and chopped off his right palm and left leg while he was returning home after attending a Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district on July 4, 2010.
The trial began in July 2013. There were 37 persons in the chargesheet. Of these, 31 underwent an in-camera trial.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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