Kerala HC to serve notices to Nambi, CBI officers, Centre on land deals in ISRO espionage case

A petition was filed by a former police officer and accused in the ISRO espionage case, S Vijayan, alleging that there were land deals between Nambi Narayanan and the then CBI officials who investigated the case. The espionage case dates back to 1994 wherein Nambi and four others were accused of transferring confidential documents on India's space programme to foreign countries.

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has ordered to serve notices to the Centre, former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist Nambi Narayanan and CBI officials in connection with alleged land transactions between those involved in the 1994 ISRO espionage investigation case.

The court accepted a review petition filed by S Vijayan, a former police officer of Kerala Police special branch and one of the accused in the espionage case. The petitioner alleged that there were land deals between the then CBI officials who investigated the alleged ISRO espionage case of 1994 and Nambi.

Accepting the petition, Justice K Babu ordered to send notices to both the parties, including Nambi and the CBI investigation officers as well as the central government. Documents including power of attorney regarding the land transaction have also been attached along with the petition.

Earlier, Vijayan had approached the CBI special court in Thiruvananthapuram with the same plea but, the petition was rejected. Vijayan alleged that there was a land transaction deal between Nambi and two CBI officers namely Rajendra Nath Kaul, who was the then CBI joint director and KV Harivatsaram, who was the then DYSP.

Vijayan had sought a CBI investigation into the alleged land transactions. In his petition he alleged that those who purchased land were involved in the ISRO espionage case. He told court that he has got information that Nambi bribed CBI officers investigating the espionage case by transferring property to them. The espionage case was closed in 1996.

Although another complaint was filed in August 2021, CBI did not probe into it, Vijayan alleged. In January 2023, CBI informed the high court that the espionage case against Nambi was false and his arrest was illegal. Under the espionage case, Nambi and four others were accused of transferring confidential documents on India's space programme to foreign countries.