New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved judgment in the petition of former ISRO Scientist Nambi Narayanan for action against former top officials of Kerala Police who had allegedly subjected him to torture and illegal detention in connection with the ISRO espionage case.
A three-judge bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud while reserving verdict hinted at payment of compensation to Nambi Narayanan. Justice Chandrachud orally observed that justice has to be delivered to Nambi Narayanan.
Nambi Narayanan had challenged the judgment of the Division Bench of the Kerala High Court upholding the decision of the Kerala government to drop disciplinary proceedings against officials of Kerala police -- Siby Mathew (former ADGP), and two retired Superintendents of Police, K K Joshua and S Vijayan. Though a single judge had quashed the notification, a division bench reversed the single judge’s order.
Subsequently, the case was taken over by the CBI, which found that the case baseless, and filed a closure report. The CBI report also listed several lapses committed by the officers of Kerala police and recommended action against them.
The Kerala government then issued a notification dated June 27, 1996, and directed further investigation. This action of the state was challenged by Narayanan before Kerala High Court, which had upheld the notification. Then he moved apex court.
On Tuesday, counsel for CBI submitted that a probe was necessary against the officials who implicated him. The counsel for Siby Mathews denied the allegations and asserted that he was a responsible officer who had also headed the State Information Commission.
It must be noted that Kerala government filed a brief response on Nambi Narayanan's plea to prosecute senior police officials who investigated the ISRO spy scandal and said it was willing to unconditionally abide by whatever order passed by the apex court.
The apex court in 1998 had granted compensation of Rs one lakh to Narayanan and others who were discharged in the case. The state government was directed to pay the amount.
