Nambi welcomes probe, ex-DGP says he was not heard

Ex-ISRO scientist S Nambi Narayanan on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court order that the high-level committee report on the role of erring police officials in the spy case be handed over to CBI for further probe.

Welcoming the apex court directive, 78-year-old Narayanan said it was certain that there was conspiracy behind the spy case of 1994 (in which he was falsely implicated). “I would get justice only if the probe into the conspiracy over. I don’t have full details. I welcome the probe. It was a fabricated case. CBI closure report had already stated it. The Supreme Court and the National Human Rights Commission had attested that the case was fabricated. Now, it has to be revealed who has fabricated it,” he said.

The CBI, in its closure report in the court, had recommended action against former Kerala cadre IPS official Siby Mathew, who had retired as DGP, and other two other police officials K K Joshwa and S Vijayan, both retired as SP. Siby Mathew had headed the probe before it was taken over by CBI. The CBI had also named former Gujarat cadre DGP R B Sreekumar, who had been with IB as its deputy director and another IB official Mathew John.

Reacting to the SC directive, former DGP Siby Mathew said he was not heard by the high-level committee. “The committee did not hear my side. An IAS officer from Kerala was also in the committee. Yet, the panel did not intimate me about the inquiry. I had acted only as per the law and as per the directive of the senior officials. I hope I will get a chance to present my side in the CBI probe,” he said.

BJP welcomed the Supreme Court directive. Party state president K Surendran said people wanted to see the mystery behind the case unravelled. “Narayanan had been a victim of group politics in Congress in Kerala. I hope the role of Congress leaders, including former chief minister Oommen CHandy would come out in the CBI probe. CPI (M) had also been with those who had conspired against the ISRO scientists,: he said.