The trial of 11 more accused in the sensational Kerala palm chopping case, will start on April 16 next year, a special court in Kochi said. The 2010 case pertains to members of Popular Front of India (PFI) chopping the palm of a Kerala college professor. The NIA court in Kochi on Friday, framed charges against 11 accused in the case.
According to a Times of India report, charges were framed against 11 accused including Sajil, who was one among the seven-person gang that attacked the professor. The other accused persons charged in the case by the court are MK Nazar, a key conspirator, Shafeeq, Najeeb, Asiz Odakali, Mmohammed Rafi, Subai TP, MK Noushad, Mansoor, PP Moideen Kunju and PM Ayoob, the report states. In 2015, the NIA court had convicted 13 other accused in the case.
In 2010, members of PFI attacked Professor TJ Joseph, who was a faculty at the Newman College in Idukki’s Thodupuzha, after a question paper he prepared for an internal examination became controversial.
The Professor had reportedly selected an excerpt from a short story by CPI(M) leader P T Kunju Mohammed, while setting the Malayalam question paper, to test punctuation of students. The paragraph was an excerpt where a madcap person questions god. The Professor had reportedly named this person as Mohammed. Allegations were aired by some that this was inflammatory against Prophet Mohammed. The issue was reportedly carried with much prominence in a newspaper affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami. It was following this that the attack happened.
On July 4 2010, T J Joseph was attacked while he was returning home from a Sunday mass. A seven-member gang chopped off his right hand. The man Savad, who reportedly chopped the Professor’s palm, is yet to be nabbed by the investigation agency. The 11 accused whose trial will commence next year, were arrested after the first round of trial started in 2013.
Watch video of the Professor's reaction after accused were convicted in 2015