Kochi | A court here has started the trial against the prime accused in the case related to the chopping off of Professor T J Joseph's hand in 2010.

Ernakulam Special NIA Court judge P K Mohandas began the trial against prime accused Savad and his aide Shafeer C on October 12.

At the initial stage, the court has scheduled the examination of 50 witnesses.

So far, the court has examined eight witnesses and 23 documents as part of the trial, which is next scheduled to resume on October 23.

A group associated with the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) chopped off the right hand of Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.

The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.

Savad, the first accused, allegedly chopped off Joseph's palm and remained absconding for nearly 14 years.

He was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been living under the pseudonym Shajahan.

The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur district since 2020.