KOCHI: Former ISRO scientists Nambi Narayanan and D Sashikumaran deposed before the CBI team probing the ISRO conspiracy case that they were subjected to mental and physical torture by former Kerala police and Intelligence Bureau officers. The depositions of the two scientists were submitted by CBI along with the statement filed in HC opposing the anticipatory bail plea of former Gujarat DGP RB Sreekumar, the seventh accused.
Sreekumar had claimed that he was not present during the interrogation of Nambi Narayanan. However, the CBI said Sreekumar and Nambi Narayanan knew each other as the former had served as Commandant at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, and they were not on good terms. Nambi told CBI,
“When Sreekumar was commandant at VSSC, he had requested me to appoint his niece or nephew to a post at Thumba, but since the process was fair, she/he could not be selected. Then Sreekumar had come to my office to express his anger to which I had asked him to go out else I would call the police. Sreekumar had said I will regret this in future.”
According to CBI, the espionage case was fabricated and the bureau had filed a closure report in 1996. D Sashikumaran deposed before CBI on July 4, that police kicked and slapped him during interrogation. “On November 22, 1994, I was taken into custody and they had taken me to some police club at Peroorkada and thereafter, the real mental agony, physical torture which was endless, started.
A lot of police personnel in their uniforms and civil dress were interrogating me and asking nonsense questions. If there was a delay in answering, they would start physical assault by way of slaps and even kicks. When my interrogation was going on in police custody, two or three officers of Kerala police, Siby Mathews and some other person to whom I was familiar along with Sreekumar, were present and were laughing. However, it is correct that Siby and Sreekumar did not assault me personally. In addition to the above, the persons who interrogated and physically assaulted me were Jayaprakash, Ponnen and some Nair etc. I can identify them if the photos are shown.”
The CBI submitted that though the custody of Nambi and other arrested persons was granted by the court to local police officers, they were physically in the custody of Intelligence Bureau officers. The officers tortured and harassed them and prepared false interrogation reports.
HC EXTENDS INTERIM ORDER NOT TO ARREST EX-DGP
Kochi: The High Court on Wednesday extended the interim order directing CBI not to arrest former Gujarat DGP R B Sreekumar till August 11. Justice Ashok Menon issued the order when the bail plea by Sreekumar came up for hearing. The court also extended the interim protection from arrest to P S Jayaprakash, former Intelligence Bureau officer and two former cops- S Vijayan and Thampi S Durga Dutt.