Spy case: Ex-ISRO scientist Narayanan calls for fresh probe

Former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan, who faced an espionage case in 1994 and had to spend close to two months in jail before being discharged, today demanded a fresh probe to find out who "fabricated" the case.
Speaking at the release of his autobiography 'Oormakalude Bhramanapatham' (orbit of memories), Narayanan said, "The ISRO spy case is a false case as found out by the CBI and accepted by the Supreme Court as well as the National Human Rights Commission."
Narayanan, who was arrested in connected with the case and had to spend 50 days in prison, said the CBI had stated very clearly it was a "false" case.

"This makes it clear that the somebody fabricated the case. Who is that somebody and what was their motive. I suspect that there are players outside the country," 76-year- old Narayanan said.
He said there are people who played a major role in "fabricating" this particular case. "I do not want them to go scot-free. Let us have a fresh investigation...to find those behind it," he said.
An emotional Narayanan requested Shashi Tharoor, the Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram who released the book, to initiate steps to launch a freshprobe to find out who "fabricated" the case.

Tharoor said Narayanan might have become the head of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) or a figure of fame in the country (if such a case had not cropped up).

"He might have been remembered today as the father of space technology... instead, (now) he has to cope with indignity, pain and false accusations," he said.
Tharoor, a former union minister, also said somebody might have planted the story and there was even possibility that a foreign country that did not want India to progress on certain path under the leadership of Narayanan was behind it.
The espionage case, which hit the headlines in 1994, pertained to allegations of transfer of certain confidential documents on India's space programme to foreign countries by two scientists and four others, including two Maldivian women.

The case was first investigated by the state police and later handed over to the CBI, which found no espionage as was alleged to have taken place.
Narayanan's petition seeking Rs 1 crore compensation for the damage suffered to his reputation and career is pending in a court here.
The scam had also its political fallout with a section in the Congress targeting then chief minister late K Karunakaran over the issue, that eventually led to his resignation.