Life Sentence for Three Convicted in Palm Chopping Case
In a landmark verdict, a special NIA court in Kochi has sentenced three activists from the Popular Front of India (PFI) to life imprisonment in the notorious 2010 palm chopping case. The court ruled that the incident was a terrorist act and that the convicts deserved no leniency.
The convicted individuals, Sajil, M K Nasar, and Najeeb K A, were found guilty of various charges related to the case. They were sentenced to life imprisonment and fined under Section 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for being members of a terrorist organization.
The court’s order emphasized the seriousness of the crime, stating that the act of palm chopping was a challenge to the secular fabric of the nation. It condemned the establishment of a parallel religious judicial system, declaring it illegal, illegitimate, and unconstitutional. It further stated that such actions had no place in independent India governed by the rule of law.
The palm chopping incident occurred on July 4, 2010, when the right palm of T J Joseph, a professor at Thodupuzha Newman College, was severed by assailants. The attackers accused him of ridiculing Prophet Mohammed in a question paper he had set for a BCom semester exam. The judgment highlighted the mental trauma and physical pain suffered by the professor, which had devastating consequences. His wife, who witnessed the incident, could not bear the trauma and tragically took her own life.
The court noted that the state had registered a criminal case against the professor for performing an act prejudicial to maintaining harmony. However, the accused took matters into their own hands, considering the act an act of blasphemy. They pronounced their own religiously motivated sentence and carried out the punishment by chopping off the professor’s right hand, the hand with which he had written the question. The judgment vehemently condemned this uncivilized act, stating it could not be tolerated.
In addition to life imprisonment, the three convicts received multiple counts of rigorous imprisonment for various offenses under the UAPA, IPC, and Explosives Substances Act, including attempted murder. The sentences will run concurrently. Sajil was fined Rs 2,85,000, while Nasar and Najeeb were fined Rs 1,75,000 each. The court ordered that a portion of the fine amount, Rs 4 lakh, should be paid to the victim.
Professor T J Joseph, speaking to the media, expressed that the dismissal from his job hurt him more than the attack itself. He believed that the government had a responsibility to protect his health and should compensate him for their failure to do so.
This landmark verdict sends a strong message that acts of violence and vigilantism will not be tolerated in a democratic country governed by the rule of law. It serves as a precedent for maintaining law and order and protecting the rights and safety of individuals. The court’s decision is a significant step towards upholding justice and reinforcing the secular fabric of our nation.
