The CBI will look into a report - in the 1994 illegal arrest of former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan - by the Supreme Court-appointed panel against ex-Kerala police officers and submit its findings in the next three months, the top court said today.
The Supreme Court-appointed panel has recommended further probe by the central probe agency. The panel's report "should not be made public", the top court said this morning, refusing to hand over a copy to the ex-police officers involved in the case.
A three-judge Supreme Court bench was today hearing the case pertaining to action against the former police officials for framing Dr Nambi Narayanan, former ISRO scientist, more than two decades ago in a spy scandal. The lawyers of the ex-police officers argued that the panel had not called their clients.
Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, heading the three-judge bench said, "The report refers to several circumstances, and the panel has identified the officers. We will ask the CBI to probe further based on the report and in accordance with law." The court asked the CBI to submit its findings in three months, indicating that it might monitor the probe.
Mr Narayanan, now 79, was arrested in November 1994 while working on cryogenic engine technology at ISRO. Kerala Police had accused of him of passing information to Pakistan.
Mr Narayanan fought a long, bitter battle to restore his honour and seek action against Kerala police officers who, he said, ruined his life.
The CBI, which took over the probe from the Kerala Police in 1996, said the case was baseless, and closed it. The CBI report also listed several lapses committed by the police officers and recommended action against them.
In 2018, the top court termed the treatment meted out to the scientist in custody as "psycho-pathological", directing the Kerala government to pay Rs 50 lakh as compensation to the scientist.
The court set up a panel - headed by former Supreme Court judge DK Jain - to probe the role of police officers in framing Dr Narayanan.
In 2019, Nambi Narayanan was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award.
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