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ISRO scientist sues Kerala government for Rs 10m damages

Senior space scientist S Nambi Narayanan has filed a Rs 10 million suit against the Kerala government and 11 others for ''the mental and physical torture'' inflicted on him in the infamous Indian Space Research Organisation scandal.

Narayanan, whom the Supreme Court discharged in the spy-case-that-was-not, filed the case before the Thiruvananthapuram sub-court. Earlier, the state government had, on the apex court's direction, paid him Rs 100,000 to cover the legal costs he incurred.

Narayanan, now working as director of advanced technology and planning in the ISRO headquarters at Bangalore, charged 11 other parties, including the Union of India, the commissioner and secretary for home, the director general of police and the then sub-inspector of Vanchiyoor police station.

He mentioned six police officers by name: Indian Police Service officers Sibi Mathew and Sen Kumar, state police officer S Vijayan and Jogesh, and Intelligence Bureau's Mathew John and R B Sreekumar.

The damages are sought for arresting and detaining him for 50 days, the consequential loss of reputation and mental agony caused to him and his family members, especially his children, and loss of possible promotion.

In his petition, Narayanan gave a graphic account of his harrowing experience, which started with his arrest by the state police in November ''under the false pretext'' of investigating two cases registered against Maldivian nationals Mariam Rasheeda and Fouzia Hassan.

''The arrest and imprisonment were malicious as they were without any reasonable or probable cause or authority,'' he said.

He claimed he was physically and mentally tortured by the police and later by the IB ''under the cover of interrogation.''

The Research and Analysis Wing too interrogated him, but concluded that it was a ''concocted case'', the petition said.

THE ISRO LINKS:

Maldivian woman seeks Rs 100 million compensation
We would not have proceeded with the case if the high court had prevented us'
What happens to the four years of life they have been robbed of?
Mariam Rasheeda can go home, finally!
The untold spy story
For Maldivian Rasheeda, the ISRO espionage case nightmare is finally over

UNI

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