<p>Terming it a “terror act”, a special NIA court in Kochi on Thursday sentenced three persons to life imprisonment in the sensational hand-chopping case in Kerala.</p>.<p>Three others were given three years in jail in the 2010 attack case, wherein the right-hand palm of a college professor was chopped off by the members of the now-banned PFI, after accusing him of blasphemy.</p>.<p>The court, which had found the six guilty on Wednesday and pronounced the quantum of punishments on Thursday.</p>.<p>At the time of the attack on July 4, 2010, Prof T J Joseph was a faculty of Newman College at Thodupuzha. </p>.<p>Sajil, M K Nasar and Najeeb K A were awarded life sentences and a fine of Rs 50,000 each was also imposed on them. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 4 lakh on the convicts; the amount will be used to recompense the professor. The accused were found guilty under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosives Act and Indian Penal Code.</p>.<p>The court observed that the attack on the professor was a challenge to the secular fabric of the country. An attempt was made to establish a parallel religion-based judicial system, which was against the Constitution. The court also termed the attack as an ‘uncivilised act’ that could not be countenanced at all.</p>.<p>Joseph said it was high time such primitive extremist ideologies were eradicated from society. He said the real culprits of the crime were those who were propagating such ideologies.</p>
<p>Terming it a “terror act”, a special NIA court in Kochi on Thursday sentenced three persons to life imprisonment in the sensational hand-chopping case in Kerala.</p>.<p>Three others were given three years in jail in the 2010 attack case, wherein the right-hand palm of a college professor was chopped off by the members of the now-banned PFI, after accusing him of blasphemy.</p>.<p>The court, which had found the six guilty on Wednesday and pronounced the quantum of punishments on Thursday.</p>.<p>At the time of the attack on July 4, 2010, Prof T J Joseph was a faculty of Newman College at Thodupuzha. </p>.<p>Sajil, M K Nasar and Najeeb K A were awarded life sentences and a fine of Rs 50,000 each was also imposed on them. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 4 lakh on the convicts; the amount will be used to recompense the professor. The accused were found guilty under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosives Act and Indian Penal Code.</p>.<p>The court observed that the attack on the professor was a challenge to the secular fabric of the country. An attempt was made to establish a parallel religion-based judicial system, which was against the Constitution. The court also termed the attack as an ‘uncivilised act’ that could not be countenanced at all.</p>.<p>Joseph said it was high time such primitive extremist ideologies were eradicated from society. He said the real culprits of the crime were those who were propagating such ideologies.</p>
