Kochi: The Supreme Court of India has ordered a CBI probe into the involvement of police officers in the conspiracy.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday opposed in the Kerala High Court the bail pleas by two former Kerala Police officers, who were involved in the arrest of former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in a 1994 espionage case.
CBI said that they falsely implicated Nambi Narayanan in a "concocted case."
The nature and intensity of the violations, according to the CBI, had a significant impact on cryogenic technical advancement, which was hampered by Nambi Narayanan's false inference and the publicity surrounding it.
CBI submitted this in court while opposing the anticipatory bail pleas of S Vijayan and S Thampi Durga Dutt, who were the police officers and accused in a case registered by the CBI for torturing and hatching a conspiracy to frame ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in the 1994 ISRO espionage case.
Through P Vijayakumar, Assistant Solicitor General of India, CBI submitted that "Both the petitioners had played an active role and concocted an espionage case in pursuance of the conspiracy with the other accused in the FIR and other unknown persons. The petitioners in his petition have not substantiated the allegation that this is a false case against them and its registration is actuated by malafide on the part of defacto complaint or the part of the investigating agency. The nature and gravity of the offenses also had a big impact on the technological development of cryogenic, which was delayed due to the false implication of Nambi Narayanan and the news related to it."
It further stated, "Since it is related to national interest and a crime against scientists, society at large has an interest in this case. When the investigation progresses, the possibility of an international conspiracy may become part of the probe. Hence the petitioners are not entitled to an extraordinary remedy under section 438 Crpc as prayed for by them.
It is relevant to mention hear that the offense alleged against the accused are serious. An eminent scientist serving in one of India's premier institutions has been made to suffer and, after noting the same, the Apex Court ordered compensation and directed for necessary investigation.
It is also submitted that the alleged interrogations happened mainly in the interrogation rooms.
"The main will be uninformed persons or the persons in government service. The petitioners are still very influential as they were seated in the offices of power in the Kerala Police. Granting anticipatory bail for them will also induce fear in the minds of probable witnesses who may be otherwise willing to speak the truth," CBI said.
(ANI)
