Former ISRO scientist S Nambi Narayanan
The Supreme Court Friday awarded Rs 50 lakh compensation to former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan, saying he was “unnecessarily arrested and harassed” by the Kerala Police. The top court has set up a committee under Justice DK Jain to look into Narayanan’s complaint against police officers who framed him. The Centre and state will nominate a member each to the committee. More details are awaited.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud reserved its order in July after the CBI stated that it was ready for a court-monitored probe.
Then a scientist at ISRO, Narayanan was arrested on November 30, 1994, on allegations of espionage. He was later exonerated by the Supreme Court.
Narayanan had approached the apex court against a Kerala High Court’s judgment, stating that no action was required against officers associated with the investigation — former DGP Siby Mathews and former SPs K K Joshua and S Vijayan. All the officers have retired. Narayanan sought action against police officers who probed the espionage case against him.