‘Willing to abide by SC’s directions’

Nearly three years after the Supreme Court asked the Kerala government on former scientist Nambi Narayanan’s plea to prosecute senior police officials who investigated the ISRO spy scandal, the State has filed an affidavit saying it is willing to unconditionally abide by whatever the court orders and is now maintaining an impartial stand.

“The government in unconditional terms may express the readiness and willingness to comply whatever directions in the special leave petition. It is advisable to set forthwith the government’s impartiality in the matter,” the Kerala government affidavit said.

In his petition, Mr. Narayanan, who was discharged in the case, had arraigned as parties former Kerala ADGP Siby Mathews, the State government, K.K. Joshwa and S. Vijayan, both of whom had retired in senior position in the police.

In July 2015, the Supreme Court had asked them to respond to Mr. Narayanan’s plea.

The former ISRO scientist, who is in seventies, had approached the Supreme Court after a Division Bench of the State High Court had refused his plea.

In his petition, Mr. Narayanan contended that the High Court had “failed to appreciate the real undercurrent that passed through the mind of the Supreme Court, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the single judge of the High court in their verdict and on untenable reasons, quashed the order of the single judge.”

Challenging the legality of the High Court Division Bench order, Mr. Narayanan said it was “bad in law”.