Nambi Narayanan influenced CBI officials probing ISRO spy case: Ex-cop

One-liner: Former Kerala police officer S Vijayan on Wednesday told the Kerala High Court that ex-ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan influenced CBI investigation into the 1994 espionage case against him by entering into land deals worth crores with the then officials of the agency.

Facing CBI probe: Vijayan, along with 17 other former Kerala police and IB officials, is facing a CBI probe for falsely implicating Narayanan and some others in the 1994 spying case.

• On Wednesday, his lawyer told the judge that he had placed before the trial court encumbrance certificates of several acres of land in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu which show Narayanan or his son as the power of attorney holders

Lands sold to CBI officials: These lands were sold to the CBI officials, Vijayan has told the high court and contended that this material was sufficient for the trial court to order an investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the scientist and the agency officials.

• The high court, however, said that encumbrance certificates do not prove the sale of land and asked Vijayan to show the actual sale deeds

Notices to be issued: It also said it will pass an order on admission of Vijayan's plea and will issue notice to all the parties, including Narayanan, as all of them have to be heard

Granted bail: Vijayan and three others were granted anticipatory bail by the high court in Aug in the CBI's conspiracy case against them.

Need to know: Besides the four, 14 others are named as accused in the case for various offences, including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and fabrication of evidence in connection with the arrest and detention of Narayanan in the case.

• Besides Narayanan, two Maldivian women - Mariyam Rasheeda and Fouziyya Hassan - were also arrested and detained in the case. The two women were jailed for over three years before being released

Source: PTI