KOCHI:The alleged role of the CIA in fabricating the espionage case should be investigated, said former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan. Replying to a query on scientist D Sasikumaran’s allegation regarding the role of the US intelligence agency, he said the role of the police, the IB, politicians, the media and the CIA should be probed.
Narayanan, whose name was cleared by the Supreme Court in the ISRO spy case, was speaking on his fight for justice at the TDM Hall on Monday. The programme was organised by Ernakulam Karayogam.
“Many people ask me why I applied for VRS if I was innocent. In April 1994, K Kasturirangan assumed office as the chairman of ISRO. I was the deputy director of VSSC. Our director was the senior-most person eligible for the post of chairman, and I had expected a promotion as director. I had informed the chairman in advance that I will opt for VRS if I don’t get the promotion. I submitted the VRS application on August 1994 and the espionage case was registered on October 20,” he said.
Narayanan pointed out the allegation was that he sold cryogenic technology and the details of the Vikas engine for Rs 400 crore. “India didn’t have cryogenic technology in 1994; we developed it in 2014. The drawings of the Vikas engine was no secret. Anyone who wanted to do research could get it for Rs 4,000,” he said.
Narayanan alleged the conspirators had identified him and Raman Srivastava as their targets before starting the investigation. “Mariam Rashida, the Mali woman involved in the case, recently revealed the police and the IB had shown her the photos of myself and Srivastava and demanded she identify us during the probe. The whole case was the creation of a police officer, but it was used by many people, including the rivals of K Karunakaran who wanted to oust him,” he said.
Narayanan pointed out the police never raided his house. The case was aimed at derailing the research on cryogenic technology. Though the CBI report said the case was fabricated, they didn’t say who did so.
Narayanan said the ISRO ultimately stood with him. “Stalwarts like Satish Dhawan, U R Rao, Roddam Narasimha, Yashpal, Chandrasekhar and T N Seshan had written an open letter pointing out the case was fabricated. The ISRO suspended me immediately after the police registered the case as it is the service rule. They revoked the suspension a week after the CBI submitted its report,” he said.He said around 40 per cent of the people he met in jail claimed they were innocent. “If it is true, it shows there is something wrong with our system,” he said.
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