The Supreme Court overturned a Kerala High Court ruling granted anticipatory relief to everyone involved in the 1994 ISRO espionage case including the framing of suspected scientist Nambi Narayanan.
A court led by Justice MR Shah remanded the bail applications to the Kerala High Court, instructing it to rule on them as soon as possible, within four weeks. The apex court also granted the accused protection from arrest for five weeks as an interim measure until the High Court rules on the case.
The CBI has filed an appeal against a Kerala High Court ruling granting anticipatory bail to five people. The order was reserved by the Supreme Court panel on November 28.
In connection with the case, the Kerala High Court granted anticipatory bail to four accused: former Gujarat Director-General of Police (DGP) RB SreeKumar, former Kerala DGP Siby Mathews, two former Kerala police officers S Vijayan and Thampi S Durga Dutt, and retired intelligence official PS Jayaprakash.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to them, claiming that the award of anticipatory release will jeopardise the investigation into the case.
Previously, the CBI informed the Supreme Court that it discovered in its investigation that certain scientists were tortured and framed in the issue, which hampered the development of cryogenic engines and pushed India’s space programme back by about a decade.
