Kochi: National Investigation Agency (NIA) Wednesday filed appeals in the High Court against acquittal of six people in the case relating to chopping of a hand of a college professor in Kerala in 2010 besides enhancing punishment of other 10 convicts.
A separate appeal has been filed against acquittal of accused Abdul Latheef, Anwar Sadique and M. M. Riyas for offences under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
They have been convicted and sentenced to two years under Section 212 of IPC for harbouring the offenders in this case.
A special NIA court had sentenced 10 people to eight year rigorous imprisonment on May eight.
However, NIA filed the appeal for enhancement of quantum of sentence awarded on various counts to the ten convicted accused -- Jamal, Shobin, Shamsuddin, Shanavas, Pareeth K, Younus Aliyar, Jaffar, K K Ali, Shejeer and Kasim.
They were awarded imprisonment as they were found guilty under various sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act along with different sections of IPC and Explosive Substances Act.
Thirty seven persons were chargesheeted by NIA in the case. However, 31 faced trial as the remaining six, including first accused Savad, were absconding.
In its appeal, NIA has challenged the acquittal of six accused Ashraf, Sikander Ali Khan, Kamarudheen, Fahad, Manaf and Noushad P. V. in the case.
The persons sentenced in the case owe allegiance to Popular Front of India and were convicted for chopping the right hand of T J Joseph, professor of Newman College in Thodupuzha in Idukki district when he was returning home after attending Sunday mass at a church in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district on July 4, 2010.
The court had, in its judgement, said the prosecution has proved beyond all reasonable doubts that eight of the accused along with some others entered into a criminal conspiracy to eliminate the professor by inflicting grievous injuries.
They did it out of enmity towards Joseph, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments of a community through a question paper he set for his students.