View source for ISRO espionage case

{{Short description|Disproven allegation of espionage}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
'''ISRO espionage case''' involved discredited allegations of [[espionage]] made by Indian investigation agencies in the 1990s against some scientists of the [[Indian Space Research Organisation]] (ISRO).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-03 |title=What was the ISRO spy case, involving scientist Nambi Narayanan? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/isro-spy-case-nambi-narayanan-sc-order-explained-8302499/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> [[List of Indian intelligence agencies|Indian intelligence agencies]] and the [[Kerala Police|Kerala police]] arrested some senior aerospace engineers on charges of attempting to sell confidential documents containing designs of indigenous rocket engine developed by ISRO.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-01-27 |title=Nambi Narayanan: The fake spy scandal that blew up a rocket scientist's career |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49836270 |access-date=2023-08-25}}</ref>

The most prominent victim was [[Aerospace engineering|aerospace engineer]] [[Nambi Narayanan]], who later alleged that the United States and [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] may have involved in fabricating the case,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-27 |title=ISRO Spy Case May Have Been CIA Plot to Sabotage India's Cryogenic Progress: Former Scientist |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/isro-spy-case-may-have-been-cia-plot-to-sabotage-indias-cryogenic-progress-former-scientist-1558579.html |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=News18 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=6 August 2021 |title=Nambi Narayanan sees U.S. Hand in ISRO spy case |newspaper=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/former-scientist-sees-us-hand-in-isro-spy-case/article35771034.ece}}</ref> thereby preventing India from entering into multi-billion dollar commercial space missions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-14 |title=ISRO spy case: SC judgment will help to change mindset of law enforcement machinery, says Nambi Narayanan |url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/isro-spy-case-sc-judgment-will-help-to-change-mindset-of-law-enforcement-machinery-says-nambi-narayanan-5185951.html |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Firstpost |language=en}}</ref> [[Indian National Congress]] (INC) politicians [[A. K. Antony]] and [[Oommen Chandy]] led 'A'-group caucus inside the INC in [[Kerala]]. Senior Kerala Police officials like [[Raman Srivastava]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/research/fake-isro-spy-case-the-seven-characters-of-the-false-espionage-story-5363242/ | title=Fake ISRO spy case: The seven characters of the false espionage story | date=18 September 2018 | access-date=23 August 2022 | archive-date=19 October 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019052720/https://indianexpress.com/article/research/fake-isro-spy-case-the-seven-characters-of-the-false-espionage-story-5363242/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Siby Mathews and the Malayalam newspaper ''[[Malayala Manorama]]'' played a major role in sensationalising<ref>{{cite web |title=Who owns your media: How Malayala Manorama struggled with a steep fall in ad revenues |date=21 July 2021 |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2021/07/21/who-owns-your-media-how-malayala-manorama-struggled-with-a-steep-fall-in-ad-revenues}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Nambi Narayanan |title=ISRO Espionage Case 1994 : Nambi Narayanan Paper Cuttings |date=1994 |url=http://archive.org/details/nambi-narayanan |access-date=2023-08-25}}</ref> and politicising the allegations made against the scientists.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/criminal-here-media-journalists-recount-how-isro-spy-case-was-concocted-165502 | title='The criminal here is the media': Journalists recount how ISRO spy case was concocted | date=3 July 2022 | access-date=9 August 2022 | archive-date=8 August 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808222852/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/criminal-here-media-journalists-recount-how-isro-spy-case-was-concocted-165502 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/sep/25/probe-role-of-cia-in-isro-spy-case-nambi-narayanan-1876724.html | title=Probe role of CIA in ISRO spy case: Nambi Narayanan | date=25 September 2018 }}</ref>

In April 1996, the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] concluded that there was no case to be made and the [[Supreme Court of India]] stopped the Kerala government from pursuing further investigation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 September 2018 |title=Indian court offers final vindication for innocent space scientist who was arrested and tortured |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/indian-court-offers-final-vindication-innocent-space-scientist-who-was-arrested-and}}</ref> The political fallout from the case caused [[K. Karunakaran]] to resign as chief minister of Kerala in March 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ISRO spy case: KPCC president MM Hassan makes major revelation on removal of K Karunakaran as Kerala Chief Minister |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2017/dec/23/isro-spy-case-kpcc-president-mm-hassan-makes-major-revelation-on-removal-of-k-karunakaran-as-kerala-1735161.html |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=The New Indian Express|date=23 December 2017 }}</ref> The ISRO employees, who had been subject to arrest, pursued redress in courts, with Nambi Narayanan being awarded around 19 [[lakh]]<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-09-07 |title=A shattered man now sits cool and detached |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/a-shattered-man-now-sits-cool-and-detached/article3871592.ece |access-date=2024-09-11 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> in total as compensation. In 2021, the Supreme Court ordered a probe into the actions of involved police officers, who filed counter-suits alleging corruption on the part of CBI investigators. Siby Mathews IPS was the fourth accused in the espionage fabrication case and accused of ordering the alleged torture of Nambi Narayanan. He is fighting a case in the Supreme Court against a CBI plea to cancel Mathews's anticipatory bail in the fake case.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 October 2021 |title=Isro spy case: Ex-DGP Siby Mathews's bail extended |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/isro-spy-case-ex-dgp-siby-mathewss-bail-extended/articleshow/87218404.cms |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=15 July 2022 |title=ISRO case: Supreme Court to hear CBI plea to cancel former Kerala DGP Siby Mathews' anticipatory bail |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/isro-case-supreme-court-to-hear-cbi-plea-to-cancel-anticipatory-bail-to-former-kerala-dgp-siby-mathews/article65643123.ece |access-date=2022-08-22 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Arrests ==
In October 1994, during a [[Visa policy of India|visa verification]] check at [[Thiruvananthapuram]], police found the explanations of two Maldivian women, Mariam Rasheeda and [[Fauziyya Hassan]], suspicious. A diary written in [[Maldivian language|Dhivehi language]] was found in a raid on Rasheeda's lodging. Police said that it indicated she was a member of the [[National Security Service (Maldives)|National Security Service of Maldives]]. A [[first information report]] filed by police mentioned instances of Rasheeda contacting D Sasikumaran, then a general manager at [[Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre]].{{Efn|Phone records showed calls by Rasheeda to [[Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre]] and the residence of Sasikumaran. Police also said that Sasikumaran visited Rasheeda's hotel.<ref name="Nileena-Caravan"/>}} A report that Rasheeda and Fauziyya Hassan were frequent visitors to the Pakistani embassy in Maldives spurred an investigation by [[Intelligence Bureau (India)|Intelligence Bureau]] (IB) and [[Research and Analysis Wing]] (R&AW) officials. The two women were arrested for overstaying their visa as well as under the [[Official Secrets Act (India)|Official Secrets Act]]. Based on their interrogation, which was recorded on video, Sasikumaran and K Chandrasekhar, a representative of [[Glavkosmos]], were arrested in November. In the interrogation, it was alleged that Narayanan and Sasikumaran were to collect documents; Chandrasekhar would arrange logistics and payments; and would transfer the documents to Alexi Vassive of Ural Aviation, who would forward it to Glavkosmos. Sasikumaran claimed that Narayanan and Vassive had already brokered a transfer of drawings of [[Viking (rocket engine)|Viking engine]] to Brazil in 1989–90. A Pakistani scientist and a woman working with Pakistani High Commission in Colombo were also named.<ref name="Nileena-Caravan"/>

Between 21 November and 1 December 1994, four people associated with the ISRO; D. Sasikumaran, K. Chandrasekhar, Nambi Narayanan and Sudhir Kumar Sharma were arrested by the Crime Branch of the Kerala Police;<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=29 April 1998 |title=''K. Chandrasekhar v. The State Of Kerala and other'' |url=https://main.sci.gov.in/jonew/judis/13247.pdf |publisher=Supreme Court of India}}</ref> Narayanan had submitted a request for voluntary retirement from ISRO a month prior to his arrest.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=14 September 2018 |title=''S. Nambi Narayanan vs. Siby Mathews & Others'' |url=https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2015/19295/19295_2015_Judgement_14-Sep-2018.pdf |publisher=Supreme Court of India |page=12 |access-date=23 May 2024 |archive-date=17 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217220617/https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2015/19295/19295_2015_Judgement_14-Sep-2018.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The Kerala Police special team headed by then DIG Siby Mathews had arrested Narayanan on charges of espionage.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=I am happy Nambi got justice: Former DGP Raman Srivastava |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/sep/15/i-am-happy-nambi-got-justice-former-dgp-raman-srivastava-1872054.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916110706/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/sep/15/i-am-happy-nambi-got-justice-former-dgp-raman-srivastava-1872054.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 September 2018 |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> Police recorded that confidential documents from LPSC were recovered from Sasikumaran's house the next day. The police alleged that $50,000 was given to Sasikumaran and Narayanan through Hassan's daughter between January and September 1994. Chandrasekhar mentioned the name of Ravindra Reddy as being involved in business with Russians. Reddy was alleged to be a business partner of Prabhakar Rao, son of the then prime minister [[P. V. Narasimha Rao|Narasimha Rao]]. Because of the international aspects of the case, Siby Mathews, who was heading the police team, requested the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] (CBI) to take up the case, and the CBI did so on 4 December. At the time, CBI was also investigating other cases related to the Rao family, such as the [[Jain hawala case]].<ref name="Nileena-Caravan">{{cite web|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/space-secrets|last=MS|first=Nileena|date=1 November 2020|title=Space Secrets: How the CBI killed India's biggest espionage case|work=[[Caravan (magazine)|Caravan]]|access-date=2 July 2022|archive-date=28 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628174412/https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/space-secrets|url-status=live}}{{subscription required}}</ref>

== CBI investigation ==
Narayanan spent 50 days in jail. He claimed that officials from the [[Intelligence Bureau (India)|Intelligence Bureau]], who initially interrogated him, wanted him to make false accusations against the top brass of ISRO. He alleged that two IB officials had asked him to implicate [[A. E. Muthunayagam]], his boss and then Director of the [[Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre]] (LPSC). He said that when he refused to comply, he was tortured until he collapsed and was hospitalised.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sarin |first1=Ritu |title=Wrongly accused ISRO scientist seeks damages |url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19990103/0035021.html |access-date=31 October 2018 |work=The Indian Express |date=3 January 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040928145200/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19990103/0035021.html |archive-date=28 September 2004}}</ref> He said his main complaint against ISRO is that it did not support him. [[K. Kasturirangan]], who was ISRO chairman at the time, stated that ISRO could not interfere in a legal matter.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} He wrote that the director of CBI [[Central Bureau of Investigation#CBI directors|Vijaya Rama Rao]] met him in jail on 8 December (four days after the case was transferred), when he explained to the director that the drawings of rockets and engines was not classified. He wrote that the CBI director wondered how the case has gotten so far and apologized in that meeting.<ref name="Nileena-Caravan" />

A (fake) petition filed in Kerala High Court for the arrest of Srivastava was dismissed by the court on the grounds that the court did not have powers to direct inclusion of persons in cases without any evidence. But the court had examined three tapes of the interrogation and dismissed allegations of torture by IB that the suspects had made to CBI investigators. The judges also found fault with CBI's failure to investigate leads suggested by Kerala police as well as its heavy dependence on the retractions by the accused. The court order precipitated Srivastava's suspension.<ref name="Nileena-Caravan" /> [[K. Karunakaran]], who was criticized both by other Congressional factions and the opposition for seemingly shielding Srivastava,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kochukudy |first1=Anand |title=How the ISRO espionage scandal brought a CM down |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2018/09/17/isro-espionage-scandal-downfall-karunakaran |website=Newslaundry |date=17 September 2018 |access-date=2 July 2022 |archive-date=2 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702060651/https://www.newslaundry.com/2018/09/17/isro-espionage-scandal-downfall-karunakaran |url-status=live }}</ref> resigned as chief minister and [[A. K. Antony]] assumed the post.<ref>{{cite web |last=G. |first=Rajiv |title=Karunakaran did not resign on Isro spy case: Oommen Chandy |date=3 February 2016 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/karunakaran-did-not-resign-on-isro-spy-case-oommen-chandy/articleshow/50837507.cms |website=The Times of India |language=en |access-date=2 July 2022 |archive-date=2 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702034332/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/karunakaran-did-not-resign-on-isro-spy-case-oommen-chandy/articleshow/50837507.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> This factional struggle within the Congress in Kerala and within the Kerala Police ensured that [[Nambi Narayanan]] was not able to obtain justice for a long time.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Anand |first=G. |date=15 April 2021 |title=ISRO case resurfaces to haunt Congress |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/isro-case-resurfaces-to-haunt-congress/article34330405.ece |access-date=2022-08-22 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Some of the critical comments by the High Court were later removed by the Supreme Court, when it adjudicated a special leave petition by the CBI.<ref name="RK-Frontline"/>

In April 1996, before the [[1996 Indian general election]], CBI submitted a closure report to the chief judicial magistrate of Ernakulam district,<ref name="Joshi-InToday">{{cite web |last=Joshi |first=Charulata |date=31 August 1996 |title=ISRO spy scandal: IB, Kerala Police dispute CBI contention of bungling up the probe |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/investigation/story/19960831-isro-spy-scandal-ib-kerala-police-dispute-cbi-contention-of-bungling-up-the-probe-833786-1996-08-31 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref> saying that there was no espionage and that the testimonies of suspects were coerced by torture.<ref name="Nileena-Caravan"/>{{rp|p=1|quote=The CBI submitted a closure report in April 1996, at a time when the Narasimha Rao government was facing a general election after a term in office that was mired in corruption scandals. ... Based on the testimonies of the accused, the CBI argued that there was no case of espionage at all. The bureau argued that the suspects were tortured by the police, and that their confessions had been extracted under duress}} In May 1996, Kerala [[1996 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|elected a new LDF government]]. Amid attention on lacunae in CBI closure report, a challenge of the report in Kerala High Court by S. Vijayan{{Efn|A police officer involved in the initial investigation<ref name="Joshi-InToday"/>}}<ref name="Joshi-InToday"/> and continuing pressure from his own party, the new chief minister [[E. K. Nayanar#Third term (1996 - 2001)|E. K. Nayanar]] revoked the permission granted previously to CBI to investigate the case and enjoined Kerala police to take it up again. But Supreme Court{{Efn|Bench consisting of judges M.K. Mukherji and [[Syed Shah Mohammed Quadri]]}} stopped it in April 1998, pointing out that the [[Official Secrets Act (India)|Indian Official Secrets Act]] limits the powers of state police to conduct further investigation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Menon |first1=Venu |title=The Rediff On The NeT Special: Venu Menon on how the SC order on ISRO spy scandal has affected the Kerala government |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/report/isro/19980511.htm |website=www.rediff.com |date=11 May 1998 |access-date=2 July 2022 |archive-date=2 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702060640/https://www.rediff.com/news/report/isro/19980511.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> It said that "the CBI found that no case had been made out" and ordered the Kerala government to pay Rs 100,000 each to the six accused.{{Efn|Rasheeda, Hassan, Narayanan, Sasikumaran, Chandrasekhar and S.K. Sharma, a labour contractor for ISRO<ref name="RK-Frontline"/>}}<ref name="RK-Frontline">{{cite web |last1=Krishnakuar |first1=R |title=Requiem for a scandal |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/article30161423.ece |website=frontline.thehindu.com |access-date=1 July 2022 |language=en |date=8 May 1998 |archive-date=14 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214234910/https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/article30161423.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 1999, the [[National Human Rights Commission of India|National Human Rights Commission]] (NHRC) passed strictures against the government of [[Kerala]] for having damaged Narayanan's distinguished career in space research along with the physical and mental torture to which he and his family were subjected. After the dismissal of charges against them, the two scientists, Sasikumar and Narayanan were transferred out of [[Thiruvananthapuram]] and were given desk jobs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?204019 |title=Cops Tortured Me |publisher=Outlookindia.com |access-date=2012-10-04 |archive-date=7 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107105801/http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?204019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Redressal suits ==
In 2001, the NHRC ordered the government of Kerala to pay [[Nambi Narayanan]] a compensation of {{INR}} 10&nbsp;[[lakh]].<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article3871592.ece A shattered man now sits cool and detached] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116221239/http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article3871592.ece |date=16 November 2012 }}. The Hindu, 8 September 2012.</ref> He retired in 2001. The [[Kerala High Court]] ordered a compensation amount of Rs 1&nbsp;[[lakh]] to be paid to Narayanan based on an appeal from NHRC India in September 2012.

On 3 October 2012, ''[[The Hindu]]'' reported that the government of Kerala had dropped charges against the police officials who were alleged to have falsely implicated Narayanan in the espionage case on the grounds that over 15 years had passed since the case was initiated. The top officer involved in the case, Siby Mathews, was later appointed Chief Information Commissioner in Kerala (2011–2016).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/kerala-drops-charges-against-police-officials-in-isro-espionage-case/article3958850.ece |title=Kerala drops charges against police officials in ISRO espionage case |work=[[The Hindu|Thehindu.com]] |date=2 October 2012 |access-date=2012-10-04 |archive-date=4 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404124809/http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/kerala-drops-charges-against-police-officials-in-isro-espionage-case/article3958850.ece |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/i-was-one-who-was-victimised-isro-espionage-case-former-kerala-dgp-siby-mathews-63299|title=I was the one who was victimised in ISRO espionage case: Former Kerala DGP Siby Mathews|date=7 June 2017|publisher=The News Minute|access-date=2017-06-07|archive-date=2 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702051440/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/i-was-one-who-was-victimised-isro-espionage-case-former-kerala-dgp-siby-mathews-63299|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Later political implications==
In September 2013, during his prime ministerial election campaign, [[Narendra Modi]] met with Narayanan in Thiruvananthapuram.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/you-made-me-a-modi-admirer-nambi-naraynanan-217606-2013-11-15|title=You made me a Modi admirer: Nambinarayanan|date=15 November 2013|last=Radhakrishnan|first=MG|work=India Today|access-date=2 July 2022|archive-date=1 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701141117/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/you-made-me-a-modi-admirer-nambi-naraynanan-217606-2013-11-15|url-status=live}}</ref> [[R. B. Sreekumar]], who had served as Additional Director-General of Police in Gujarat in 2002, had by then, made allegations of complicity by Modi and his government in the [[2002 Gujarat riots]]. In November 2013, during the campaign for [[2014 Indian general election]], [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] aired claims that Sreekumar's allegations were in exchange for the [[United Progressive Alliance]] government dropping charges of faulty investigation in the ISRO espionage case.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/report/bjp-attacks-modi-baiter-cop-sreekumar-rakes-up-isro-spy-case/20131107.htm|title=BJP attacks Modi-baiter cop Sreekumar, rakes up ISRO spy case|work=PTI|date=7 November 2013}}</ref>

On 14 September 2018, the Supreme Court ordered a probe{{Efn|by a three member panel headed by D. K. Jain, a former judge}} into the "harrowing" arrest and alleged torture of former space scientist [[Nambi Narayanan]] in the 'ISRO spy scandal' that turned out to be fake. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also awarded Mr. Narayanan Rs. 5&nbsp;[[lakh]] in compensation for the "mental cruelty" he suffered all these years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-appoints-panel-to-look-into-harrowing-torture-of-nambi-narayanan/article24943213.ece?homepage=true|title=ISRO spy case victim wants justice|date= 14 September 2018|newspaper=The Hindu|last1=Rajagopal|first1=Krishnadas}}</ref> The same month, Narayanan's name was recommended for [[Orders, decorations, and medals of India#Padma awards|Padma awards]] by [[Rajeev Chandrasekhar]], then a BJP member of parliament.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/former-kerala-top-cop-t-p-senkumar-puts-bjp-in-spot-over-padma-award-for-nambi-narayanan/cid/1682872|title=Former Kerala top cop puts BJP in spot over Padma for Nambi |last=Rakesh|first=K.M.|date=26 January 2019|work=[[Telegraph (India)]]}}</ref> In January 2019, Modi said that "it was an honour for his government to confer the Padma Bhushan on Nambi Narayanan".<ref>{{cite web |title="Patriotic ISRO Scientist Falsely Implicated": PM Modi On Nambi Narayanan |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pm-modi-on-nambi-narayanan-says-patriotic-isro-scientist-falsely-implicated-1984006 |website=NDTV.com |access-date=2 July 2022 |archive-date=1 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701144105/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pm-modi-on-nambi-narayanan-says-patriotic-isro-scientist-falsely-implicated-1984006 |url-status=live }}</ref> The case and the Padma award featured in BJP's campaign for [[2019 Indian general election]],<ref name="Nileena-Caravan" /> with Modi asking "I hope you are aware what the Congress has done to Kerala's own scientist Nambi Narayan" in a rally in Thiruvananthapuram.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/can-we-forgive-cong-what-they-did-scientist-nambi-narayanan-modi-kerala-100312|title='Can we forgive Cong for what they did to scientist Nambi Narayanan': Modi in Kerala|date=19 April 2019|work=The News Minute|access-date=2 July 2022|archive-date=4 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404111219/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/can-we-forgive-cong-what-they-did-scientist-nambi-narayanan-modi-kerala-100312|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Recent developments ==
In 2021, Kerala government settled the case filed against it by Narayanan by agreeing to a payment of {{INRConvert|13|m}}.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nambi Narayanan gets ₹1.3 cr. additional compensation |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/nambi-narayanan-gets-13-cr-additional-compensation/article32329022.ece |website=The Hindu |date=11 August 2020 |access-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312125858/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/nambi-narayanan-gets-13-cr-additional-compensation/article32329022.ece|archive-date=12 March 2021}}</ref>

On 14 April 2021, the [[Supreme Court of India]] ordered a [[Central Bureau of Investigation|CBI]] probe into the involvement of police officers in the conspiracy.<ref>{{cite web |title=ISRO Spy Case |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2021/apr/15/isro-spy-case-nambi-narayanan-welcomes-cbi-probe-says-conspirators-should-be-exposed-2290329.html |website=The New Indian Express |access-date=17 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415094846/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2021/apr/15/isro-spy-case-nambi-narayanan-welcomes-cbi-probe-says-conspirators-should-be-exposed-2290329.html |archive-date=15 April 2021 |date=15 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://englisharchives.mathrubhumi.com/features/specials/isro-case-getting-murkier-ex-cops-allege-nambi-narayanan-transferred-acres-of-land-to-cbi-officers-1.5854176|title=ISRO case getting murkier: Ex-cops allege Nambi Narayanan transferred acres of land to CBI officers|last=Cherukkad|first=Rajan|work=Mathrubhumi|date=24 July 2021}}</ref> The Kerala High Court dismissed one of the pleas to investigate the land deals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/isro-case-kerala-hc-dismisses-plea-claiming-nambi-narayanan-influenced-cbi-probe-by-land-deals/2369397/|title=ISRO case: Kerala HC dismisses plea claiming Nambi Narayanan influenced CBI probe by land deals|date=15 November 2021|work=PTI}}</ref> It said that the documents were not proof enough, but allowed the petitioners to file a fresh case with better sale records.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/nambi-narayanan-isro-spy-case-cbi-kerala-high-court-7616337/|title=Nambi Narayanan influenced CBI probe in ISRO spy case through land deals with agency officials: Kerala HC told|date=10 November 2021|work=PTI|access-date=2 July 2022|archive-date=1 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701141115/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/nambi-narayanan-isro-spy-case-cbi-kerala-high-court-7616337/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Notes ==
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== References ==
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[[Category:Espionage scandals and incidents]]
[[Category:Indian Space Research Organisation]]
[[Category:Political scandals in India]]
[[Category:1990s scandals]]
[[Category:1990s in Indian politics]]