In a welcome move, the Supreme Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a probe in the alleged framing of former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in an espionage case in 1994. The apex court has asked the central agency to file a report in three months.
Hearing the Central government’s plea seeking consideration of the report filed by the committee regarding the role of erring top police officials in espionage case relating to the former ISRO scientist, the Supreme Court bench observed that the, “report says its a serious matter which needs deeper investigation”.
The bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Krishna Murari ordered, “CBI will be at liberty to treat the report as a preliminary report.” It added that the, “copy of the report shall not be published or circulated in public” but “will remain in sealed cover and will be given to CBI authorities to proceed in accordance with law”.
Reacting to the Supreme Court’s verdict, Nambi Narayanan said, “I would get justice only if the probe into the conspiracy over. I don’t have full details. I welcome the probe. It was a fabricated case. CBI closure report had already stated it. The Supreme Court and the National Human Rights Commission had attested that the case was fabricated. Now, it has to be revealed who has fabricated it.”
Narayanan continues to maintain that the Kerala Police “fabricated” the 1994 espionage case in which he was initially arrested.
It is pertinent to note that the CBI in its closure report, recommended action against former Kerala cadre IPS official Siby Mathew who was the then Head of the Special Investigation Team which presided over the espionage case in 1994 before it was handed over to the central agency. The latter also recommended action against S Vijayan who initially handled the case before it was passed on to the Mathew led SIT.
Welcoming the verdict, Kerala BJP president K Surendran said, “Narayanan had been a victim of group politics in Congress in Kerala. I hope the role of Congress leaders, including former chief minister Oommen Chandy would come out in the CBI probe. CPI (M) had also been with those who had conspired against the ISRO scientists.’’
Recently, the CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front government in Kerala had decided to compensate 1.3 crore rupees to Nambi Narayanan, for being falsely implicated in espionage case. The said amount was in addition to 50 lakh rupees compensation given following the order of Supreme Court for “unnecessary arrest, harassment and mental cruelty”, in 2018.
Read More: Nambi Narayanan: The genius whose career was ruined by Congress and Communists of Kerala, to get a compensation of Rs 1.3 crore
It seems that the country’s icon is finally on his way of getting the long-due justice for ruining what could have been a marvellous career.