SC to hear next week Centre’s application to accept Justice DK Jain committee report on ISRO scientist espionage case

THE Supreme Court Monday said it would hear next week the application filed by the Central Government requesting the court to accept the report of a committee headed by retired judge DK Jain constituted in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) espionage case in which attempts were made to falsely frame ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter before the CJI's bench today who allowed the listing of the case for next week.

The Centre through its application requested the court to accept the Justice Jain committee report and take action against the delinquent police officials of the Kerala government who had a role in framing Nambi Narayanan.

The top court in 2018 held that the case launched by the Kerala police against Narayanan in the mid-1990s in the ISRO espionage case was malicious and had caused tremendous harassment to him. While awarding a compensation of Rs. 50 lakh to him, the court also formed a  committee headed by Justice DK Jain to find out ways and means to take appropriate steps against the erring officials.

It was held that Narayanan, a successful scientist with a national reputation, had been compelled to undergo immense humiliation.

"The lackadaisical attitude of the state police to arrest anyone and put him in police custody has made the appellant to suffer the ignominy", the court had held.

It went on to say that criminal law was set in motion without any basis. It was initiated, if one is allowed to say, on some kind of fancy or notion.

The liberty and dignity of the appellant which are basic to his human rights were jeopardized as he was taken into custody and, eventually, despite all the glory of the past, he was compelled to face cynical abhorrence, the court had said.