News Brief
Police Suspect SDPI Had A Role In Sheltering Savad, Main Accused In Kerala Professor's Hand-Chopping Case
Kuldeep Negi
Jan 12, 2024, 03:58 PM | Updated 04:03 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Savad Meerankutty, the main accused in the notorious 2010 hand-chopping case of Professor T J Joseph in Thodupuzha, Kerala, was apprehended by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday (10 January) after evading arrest for 13 years.
He was arrested from Beram in Kannur's Mattannur municipality by the NIA.
Savad, a native of Noolely in Ernakulam's Asamannoor Grama Panchayat, was wanted for chopping the right hand of T J Joseph, a Malayalam teacher at Newman College in Thodupuzha over an alleged blasphemous question paper he set for his BCom students.
A special NIA court had convicted 19 persons in the case.
Savad, suspected of escaping to Bengaluru after the crime, was the only accused to remain absconding, though NIA had declared a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on him.
He led a concealed life in Kerala throughout his 13-year run as a fugitive, according to Kerala Police's Crime Branch.
Savad had seemingly lived a double life, avoiding any legal conflicts which aided his evasion.
The police suspect the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), seen as the political wing of the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI), played a role in harboring Savad and facilitating his life in hiding, including arranging his marriage.
His father-in-law, a devout SDPI member, admitted meeting Savad at Ullal Darga near Mangaluru.
Savad, who introduced himself as Shajahan to his father-in-law, lived in various locations under SDPI influence, moving through Valapattanam, Iritty, and eventually settling in Beram.
His life under the radar included a stint during the COVID-19 pandemic in Vilakodu, residing in a house owned by an SDPI activist, according to the Police, Manorama Online reported.
Despite using his original name on his children's birth certificates, his dual life remained undetected until recently.
The NIA's arrest has opened inquiries into the deeper involvement of SDPI in his years of hiding, with police investigating those who may have assisted Savad.
Also Read: Tamil Nadu Joins The Semiconductor Wave, Becomes The Third State To Unveil A Dedicated Policy
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Kuldeep is Senior Editor (Newsroom) at Swarajya. He tweets at @kaydnegi.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.