Hand chopping case: 10 get 8-yr jail

Ten people belonging to a radical outfit were on Friday sentenced to eight years’ rigorous imprisonment by a special NIA court for chopping off a hand of a college professor in Kerala in 2010, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments through a question paper he had set.

NIA court judge P Sasidharan also awarded two years’ rigorous imprisonment to three others in the sensational case and imposed a fine of Rs 8 lakh on the 13 convicts, which will be given to the victim, T Joseph, professor of Newman College in Thodupuzha in Idukki.

Those awarded 10-year rigorous imprisonment were found guilty under various sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with different sections of the IPC and Explosive Substances Act. The remaining three were convicted for offences under IPC. Since many of the convicts have been under judicial custody for five years, they will have to serve only the remainder of the period in jail.

The court, which began trial in July 2013 examined over 300 prosecution witnesses, four defence witnesses, over 950 prosecution documents, nearly 30 defence documents, and over 200 material objects.

Thirty-seven persons were chargesheeted by NIA in the case.