ISRO spy case: Muraleedharan steps up pressure on Chandy for action

Stepping up pressure on Kerala government to take action against the policemen who initiated ISRO spy case, Congress leader K Muraleedharan on Monday said he would go to any extent to prove the "innocence" of his late father K Karunakaran, who was removed as chief minister in the backdrop of the espionage scandal in 1995.

Murlaleedharan, who had given a letter to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy last week seeking action against the three police officials as recommended by CBI while closing the spy case, said if the government failed to act on his demand, he would seek legal option.

"I will go to any extent to prove the innocence of my father. The government could either accept or reject the demand made in my letter. If the demand is rejected, then I would take legal steps," Muraleedharan told reporters.

A former KPCC president and MLA from the state capital, Muraleedharan said he did not think action against the three police officers would harm the party or the government. At the same time, he said, he was ready to withdraw his demand if the party or government thought it would do any damage to them.

Referring to attempts by certain quarters to drag Defence Minister A K Antony into the controversy since he had replaced Karunakaran as chief minister, Muraleedharan said he did not want to drag Antony's name in connection with the case.

The spy case has been in back in limelight after the Kerala High Court ordered the government to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to space scientist Nambi Narayanan, who was one of the accused in the case.

A week later, Muraleedharan added a further dimension to the issue alleging that former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao could have a role in the "political conspiracy" linked to the case, which led to the ouster of Karunakaran as chief minister in mid-1990s.

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