The Kerala police officers who ‘framed’ ISRO scientists Nambi Narayanan, Sasikumaran — and got away

Shortly after being exonerated by a Kerala court in the 1994 ISRO spy case, scientist D Sasikumaran had sought action against the three police officials who had allegedly framed him and others, including his ISRO colleague Nambi Narayanan.

"I had approached the chief secretary and the DGP. Unfortunately, our system does not have the conviction to punish the guilty," Sasikumaran told The Indian Express. "No probe is being held into why and how they framed the scientists." The government last year ruled out action against the three police officers.

While Narayanan has been fighting for justice all through, Sasikumaran had so far been silent in public. Now an engineering consultant in Thiruvananthapuram, Sasikumaran said the case ruined the two scientists and damaged ISRO's reputation. "I can't explain the trauma my family went through. Even for a murder case, it is imperative to prove that a person lived. There was no crime, but we were targeted as criminals. We have a ludicrous system."

CASE & CLOSURE

The police had made out a case that Narayanan and Sasikumaran had passed on secret documents to other countries, especially Pakistan. They accused Chandrasekhar of Russia's space agency, Bangalore contractor S K Sharma, and inspector general Raman Srivastava of passing on secrets of the Aeronautical Defence Establishment, Bangalore. They alleged that Chandrasekhar, Sasikumaran and two women from the Maldives, Mariyam Rasheeda and Fauzia Hassan, had met secretly to exchange papers and money.

In 1996, the CBI submitted its closure report in the chief judicial magistrate's court in Kochi, concluding that the allegations of espionage were unproved and false. The court agreed and all six accused were discharged.

The CBI pointed out lapses by Kerala police officers Siby Mathews, K K Joshwa and S Vijayan, who probed the case. In a report to the Kerala government, it called for "necessary action as deemed fit". In June last year, the home secretary issued an order saying it was not proper or legal to take action against the officials after 15 years. The government decided no action need be taken.

... contd.

ALSO READ

I-T dept detects Rs 7 cr tax evasion in transactions of Nitin Gadkari's Purti group

Govt's pre-fixation with PPP not good for infrastructure: Parliamentary Panel

Railway bribery case: Nephew rose from obscurity, worked behind the scenes

Civil Services Examination, 2012: Delhi student Stuti Charan bags third rank