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The 'Spy' who refused to let the trail go cold: A timeline of ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan's battle for justice

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra awarded Rs 50 lakh compensation to 76-year-old Narayanan for being subjected to mental cruelty in the case.

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The Supreme Court Friday held that former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan was "arrested unnecessarily, harassed and subjected to mental cruelty" in a 1994 espionage case and ordered a probe into the role of Kerala police officers.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra awarded Rs 50 lakh compensation to 76-year-old Narayanan for being subjected to mental cruelty in the case.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, formed a three-member panel headed by its former judge D K Jain to probe Narayanan being framed in the spy case. 

Narayanan had approached the apex court against the judgement of the Kerala High Court, which said no action was required to be taken against the former DGP and two retired superintendents of police K K Joshua and S Vijayan, who were later held responsible by the CBI for the scientist's illegal arrest.

In 1998, the apex court granted compensation of Rs 1 lakh to Narayanan and others, who were discharged in the case, and directed the state government to pay the amount.
He later approached the NHRC claiming compensation from the state government for the mental agony and torture suffered by him. 
The NHRC, after hearing both sides and taking into account the apex court judgement of April 29, 1998, awarded him interim compensation of Rs 10 lakh in March 2001. 

ISRO False Spy Case: A timeline of S Nambi Narayan’s battle for justice against Kerala police

Timeline

 

WHEN

WHAT

October 20, 1994

The Kerala Police arrest Mariam Rasheeda, a Maldives native in Thiruvananthapuram for overstaying in India and obtaining drawings of ISRO rocket engines

 

November 15, 1994

A Special Investigation Team led by former DGP Siby Mathews take over the case

 

November 30, 1994

The police arrest scientist Nambi Narayanan, director of cryogenic project for 'selling secrets to Pakistan’.  Also arrested D Sasikumaran, deputy director, K Chandrasekar, Indian representative of Russian space agency, SK Sharma, labour contractor and Fauziyya Hassan, a Maldvian friend of Mariam Rashida

 

December 1994

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) takes over the probe

 

January 1995

Court grants bail to ISRO scientists, businessmen but the Maldivian nationals continue to be in jail

 

April 1996

CBI does not find evidence to back the charges of the Intelligence Bureau and Kerala Police. Submits final report to the chief judicial magistrate

 

May 1996

The court accepts CBI’s report, acquits all accused in the spy case.

The new CPM government orders further investigation

 

April  29, 1998

Supreme Court (SC) directs Kerala government to pay cost of Rs 1 lakh to Narayanan

 

May 1998

SC quashes the Kerala government move to launch another investigation

 

1999

Narayanan files a suit for compensation

 

March 14, 2001

The NHRC, after hearing both sides and taking into account the apex court judgment of April 29, 1998, awarded him an interim compensation of Rs. 10 lakh

 

September 2012

Kerala High Court directs the state government to pay Rs 10 lakh to Narayanan

 

2015

Narayanan approaches the SC seeking criminal and disciplinary action against Kerala police officials led by Siby Mathew

 

April 2017

SC begins hearing Narayanan's plea to initiate criminal proceedings against police officers, including Siby Mathews, who allegedly fabricated the case against him

 

May 2018

Bench headed by CJI Dipak Mista says Narayanan has to be given compensation

 

September 14, 2018

3-judge SC bench holds that Narayanan was unnecessarily arrested, harassed and subjected to mental cruelty in ISRO spy case, orders Rs 50 lakh compensation

 

Compiled by DNA Research N Archives

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