CBI submits report in SC in ISRO spying case

The Supreme Court is likely to consider the inquiry status report, filed by the CBI in a sealed cover before it on July 26.

While complying with the Apex Court's April 15, order, the CBI filed the status report in a sealed cover in the case. The top court had in its order on April 15 directed the CBI, to probe the alleged involvement of some Kerala police officers in framing the former ISRO scientist, Nambi Narayanan, who was accused of spying in 1994, and file a detailed status report before it in the case.

A bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar passed the order on April 15, and directed the CBI to probe the alleged involvement of certain Kerala police personnel in framing Narayanan, in the spy case. The Supreme Court had on April 15, also took into record the report submitted by the three-member panel, headed Justice (Retired) D K Jain, who inquired and gave its report to the Apex Court in a sealed cover in March this year.

The Apex Court had during the course of the hearing, said that the Committee has submitted its report saying 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 had said and made it clear that the report is not made for publication.

The bench had 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 Apex Court had said.

It also said 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 Copy of the report shall not be published or circulated in public.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 Supreme Court also had said that the report is not for public circulation or publication, when Nambi Narayanan's lawyer sought a direction from it as to 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, and added 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 arresting of the former ISRO scientist, Nambi Narayan, was needless and unnecessary. It also granted a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to him in the alleged spying case for his harassment and the mental agony he faced.