NIA initiates proceedings to cancel bail of accused in professor palm chopping case

Kochi: NIA has initiated proceedings to cancel bail of an accused in the professor palm-chopping case after he became involved in an offence in violation of his bail conditions.The agency has approached NIA special court in Kochi seeking to get the bail granted to M K Nazar, a key conspirator in the crime, cancelled. The move was in the backdrop of Nazar being booked by Aluva police for allegedly trespassing into a house and assaulting a 61-year-old man in Kadungallur. The court, however, is learnt to have observed that it does not have jurisdiction to cancel bail granted by the appellate court. NIA is likely to approach high court with the petition now. The case pertains to a seven-member gang chopping off the right wrist of professor T J Joseph, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments through a Malayalam question paper he set at Newman's College, Thodupuzha in 2010. A total of 19 people were convicted in the case so far, while the prime accused Savad was arrested in 2020.