New Delhi: A significant development has unfolded in the 1994 ISRO espionage case during the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation. Space scientist Nambi Narayanan finds himself at the center of this twist, as the CBI alleges his implication. The agency has filed a chargesheet against five former officials, including two former DGPs Kerala’s Sibi Mathews and Gujarat’s RB Sreekumar.
Key Details:
- Chargesheet Filed: The CBI, acting on the Supreme Court’s directions from 2021, has filed a comprehensive chargesheet after three years of meticulous investigation. The case pertains to the 1994 Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) espionage incident.
- Accused Officials: Apart from the DGPs, the chargesheet names three other retired police officers: Deputy Inspector General of Police Mathews (who led the Special Investigation Team), Deputy Director in the Intelligence Bureau Sreekumar, PS Jayaprakash (posted in SIB-Kerala), and Inspector S Vijayan.
- Charges: The accused officials face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including criminal conspiracy, wrongful confinement, voluntarily causing hurt to extract confessions, framing false documents, fabricating evidence, and criminal assault on women.
- Supreme Court’s Intervention: The Supreme Court, on April 15, 2021, ordered the CBI to investigate the role of police officers involved in the case. A high-level committee’s report highlighted the need for further scrutiny, leading to the chargesheet against the accused.
- Origins of the Case: In 1994, Kerala police registered two cases after arresting Maldivian citizen Rashida in Thiruvananthapuram. Rashida was allegedly involved in obtaining confidential drawings of ISRO’s rocket engines for sale to Pakistan.
- False Allegations: Nambi Narayanan, then the director of the cryogenic project at ISRO, faced arrest alongside ISRO deputy director D Sasikumaran. Rashida’s friend, Fauzia Hasan, was also implicated. However, the subsequent CBI investigation revealed that these allegations were baseless.
The Supreme Court, in September 2018, characterized the treatment of Nambi Narayanan as “psychopathological” and emphasized the violation of his liberty and dignity. Despite his past achievements, he was compelled to endure “cynical abhorrence.”
This chargesheet marks a crucial step in unraveling the truth behind the 1994 ISRO espionage case, shedding light on a complex web of intrigue and false accusations.
