ISRO spying Case: SC hands over probe to CBI
Apr 15, 2021
New Delhi [India], April 15 : The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to probe the alleged involvement of some Kerala police officers in framing the former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist, Nambi Narayanan, who was accused of spying in 1994.
A bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar passed the order today and directed the investigation agency to probe the matter.
The top Court also took into record the report submitted by the three-member panel, headed Justice (Retired) D K Jain, who inquired and gave its report in a sealed cover in March this year.
During the hearing, the Court said that the Committee has submitted its report stating: "It is a serious issue and required further investigation."
"The report will remain in a sealed cover and will be given to the CBI authorities to proceed in accordance with law," the top court ordered, and made it clear that the report is not made for publication.
The bench said, in terms of the September 18, 2018 order, the committee headed by Justice (retired) DK Jain, has submitted its report on March 25, 2021 in a sealed cover.
"We direct the registry to forward one copy of the report to the Director/Acting Director of CBI," the Court said.
It also added that the CBI will be at liberty to treat the report as a preliminary report. Copy of the report shall not be published or circulated in public. "The report is not for public circulation or publication," it said when Nambi Narayanan's lawyer sought a direction from it as whether he can get a copy of the report or not.
"The report is for a different purpose. It will be used by the CBI," it said, adding that the CBI will have to submit a report to the Supreme Court within three months.
The Supreme Court, in its order, headed by the CJI (Retired) Dipak Misra, had in 2018, said, the arrest of the former ISRO scientist, Nambi Narayan, was needless and unnecessary and granted a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to him in the alleged spying case.
