News Analysis India

Tag: Kapil Sibal

  • Hemant Soren drops plea against arrest after SC questions ‘conduct’

    The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised Hemant Soren for his “blameworthy conduct” of not disclosing complete facts in a plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) even as the former Jharkhand chief minister’s counsel withdrew the plea.

    A vacation bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta verbally observed that Soren had availed “parallel remedies” by filing two separate pleas, one challenging his arrest and another seeking bail, but did not disclose it to the top court.

    Soren also did not disclose that his regular bail already stands dismissed by the trial court, the bench observed.It disapproved of the “crafty drafting” of Soren’s petition and told senior advocate Kapil Sibal that the court expected “some candour from your client”.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesSibal said it was his own mistake and not of Soren. “It is my personal fault and not of my client,” he told the bench. “The client is in jail and we are lawyers acting for him. Our intention was never to mislead the court and we have never done it.”Speaking for the bench, Justice Datta verbally observed that it appears that “the person in custody is not acting with bona fide”.To this, Sibal responded that Soren “is not in touch with us. It is not his (Soren) fault at all”.Sibal withdrew the plea after the bench said it would dismiss the same.

    Pointing out factual dissimilarities between the case of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Soren, both challenging their arrest by Enforcement Directorate (ED), the apex court on Tuesday had sought to know whether Soren’s plea would be maintainable especially after his regular bail has been rejected and the fact that a special court has taken cognisance of a prosecution complaint (equivalent of a charge sheet) filed by ED against Soren and other accused.

  • Modi Ki Guarantee: BJP campaigning through ‘illegal money’, this is ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’: Kapil Sibal

    Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday hit out at the BJP-led government over the electoral bonds issue, alleging the ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ is that the BJP does campaigning with “illegal money” raised through the scheme while the probe agencies “sleep”. Sibal, a senior advocate who is leading the arguments for the petitioners in a case in the Supreme Court against electoral bonds, claimed at a press conference here that 33 loss-making firms donated electoral bonds worth about Rs 581 crore with Rs 434 crore going to the BJP.

    He said the Supreme Court’s verdict on electoral bonds has made it clear that the money the BJP and other parties had was illegal.

    “If this money in the hands of the BJP is illegal, I want to ask the BJP did you get any Income Tax notice? I want to ask the Income Tax Department – did you send any notice to BJP? I want to ask the ED – did you conduct any raid?” Sibal said. “You have frozen the account of the Congress party, but you (BJP) got about Rs 6,655 crore, were your accounts frozen?” he added.

    Escalating his attack on the BJP, Sibal said, “You did not do it. Neither the IT department sent notice nor ED raids were carried out and the CBI also did not register an FIR.”

    “So on one hand the Congress’ accounts are frozen, but since the ED, CBI and IT department are yours (BJP’s), you don’t get any notice or face raids,” he added. The Congress leader claimed that 33 loss-making firms donated electoral bonds worth Rs 582 crore with 434 crore going to the BJP. The IT department knows it so there should be raids. The ED should have reached there and the CBI should have registered an FIR but nothing happened, he said.

    Sibal also claimed that Rs 2,717 crore was donated through electoral bonds by firms whose capital was lower than its donations.

    “The BJP is also safe, companies are also safe. The ED, IT department and CBI are sleeping and the BJP is doing campaigning with that money, this is ‘Modi ki Guarantee’,” Sibal said.

    “The guarantee is that no action will be taken as the ED, CBI and ED is theirs,” he added.

    Sibal also questioned RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and asked why is he silent on the issue.

    “I also want to ask (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat ji, you say that you are not in politics at all, you think about the country but since this decision on electoral bonds has come, Mohan Bhagwat ji did not say anything, he is also silent. He should say that the decision of Modi’s government was wrong,” he said.

    On February 15, a five-judge Constitution bench scrapped the Centre’s electoral bonds scheme of anonymous political funding, calling it “unconstitutional” and ordering disclosure by the Election Commission of the donors, the amount donated by them and the recipients by March 13.

    Subsequently, the electoral bands has been made public.

    The SBI has said that a total of 22,217 electoral bonds of varying denominations were purchased by donors between April 1, 2019, and February 15 this year, out of which 22,030 were redeemed by the political parties.

  • ‘Uncaring govt’ must immediately remove Manipur CM Biren Singh: Kapil Sibal 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday hit out at the Centre over the situation in Manipur and said the “uncaring government” must immediately remove Chief Minister N Buren Singh and not let the state “burn” anymore.

    A fresh bout of violence broke out in Imphal on Tuesday, a day after photographs of the bodies of two youths, a man and a girl who went missing in July were widely circulated on social media.

    A CBI team is currently investigating the killings in the northeastern state, which has been witnessing ethnic strife for nearly five months.

    In a post on X, Sibal said, “Manipur: An uncaring government must immediately remove CM Biren (Singh) and not let Manipur burn any more.”

     “Shutters down on the Internet is no solution. Stop campaigning and deal with Manipur now!” he said.

    ManipurAn uncaring government must immediately remove CM Biren and not let Manipur burn any more&Shutters down on the Internet is no solutionStop campaigning and deal with Manipur now !
    — Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) September 30, 2023
    Sibal, a Union minister during UPA I and II, quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party’s support. He has floated a non-electoral platform ‘Insaaf’, aimed at fighting injustice.

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday hit out at the Centre over the situation in Manipur and said the “uncaring government” must immediately remove Chief Minister N Buren Singh and not let the state “burn” anymore.

    A fresh bout of violence broke out in Imphal on Tuesday, a day after photographs of the bodies of two youths, a man and a girl who went missing in July were widely circulated on social media.

    A CBI team is currently investigating the killings in the northeastern state, which has been witnessing ethnic strife for nearly five months.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    In a post on X, Sibal said, “Manipur: An uncaring government must immediately remove CM Biren (Singh) and not let Manipur burn any more.”

     “Shutters down on the Internet is no solution. Stop campaigning and deal with Manipur now!” he said.

    Manipur
    An uncaring government must immediately remove CM Biren and not let Manipur burn any more
    &
    Shutters down on the Internet is no solution
    Stop campaigning and deal with Manipur now !
    — Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) September 30, 2023
    Sibal, a Union minister during UPA I and II, quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party’s support. He has floated a non-electoral platform ‘Insaaf’, aimed at fighting injustice.

  • PM works for country, PM is not the country: Sibal on Shah’s ‘insult to country’ remark

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday took a swipe at Home Minister Amit Shah’s ‘insult to the prime minister is an insult to the country’ remark, saying his understanding of the Constitution is that the PM is not the country but works for it.

    Sibal’s dig came a day after Shah, while addressing a national convention of the Modi community in Ahmedabad, referred to Purnesh Modi’s defamation suit that led to Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as an MP over his “Modi surname” remark.

    “If someone insults a person, it is not a big deal, but if someone insults an entire community and country’s PM, then it is an insult to the entire country. Purneshbhai fought this battle with firmness and won it. I congratulate him and others for fighting a battle for the dignity of your community. Entire country is with you,” Shah had said.

    Reacting to Shah’s remarks, Sibal said on Twitter, “Amit Shah: ‘Insult to PM is insult to country’. Amitji my understanding of the constitution is that: PM works for the country, PM is not the country. Just as: Government works for the country, government is not the country.”

    In his remarks, Shah said PM Modi gave the OBCs their due respect and understood the pain of poor citizens because he himself was born in such a family.

    Sibal, who was a Union minister during UPA 1 and 2, had quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party’s support.

    He recently floated a non-electoral platform ‘Insaaf’ aimed at fighting injustice.

    Amit Shah :“Insult to PM is insult to country”Amitji my understanding of the constitution is that :PM works for the countryPM is not the countryJust as :Government works for the countryGovernment is not the country
    — Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) May 22, 2023

    NEW DELHI:  Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday took a swipe at Home Minister Amit Shah’s ‘insult to the prime minister is an insult to the country’ remark, saying his understanding of the Constitution is that the PM is not the country but works for it.

    Sibal’s dig came a day after Shah, while addressing a national convention of the Modi community in Ahmedabad, referred to Purnesh Modi’s defamation suit that led to Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as an MP over his “Modi surname” remark.

    “If someone insults a person, it is not a big deal, but if someone insults an entire community and country’s PM, then it is an insult to the entire country. Purneshbhai fought this battle with firmness and won it. I congratulate him and others for fighting a battle for the dignity of your community. Entire country is with you,” Shah had said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Reacting to Shah’s remarks, Sibal said on Twitter, “Amit Shah: ‘Insult to PM is insult to country’. Amitji my understanding of the constitution is that: PM works for the country, PM is not the country. Just as: Government works for the country, government is not the country.”

    In his remarks, Shah said PM Modi gave the OBCs their due respect and understood the pain of poor citizens because he himself was born in such a family.

    Sibal, who was a Union minister during UPA 1 and 2, had quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party’s support.

    He recently floated a non-electoral platform ‘Insaaf’ aimed at fighting injustice.

    Amit Shah :
    “Insult to PM is insult to country”
    Amitji my understanding of the constitution is that :
    PM works for the country
    PM is not the country
    Just as :
    Government works for the country
    Government is not the country
    — Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) May 22, 2023

  • ‘The way investigation is going, we know’: Sibal on probe into wrestlers’ issue

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Tuesday expressed doubts about the fairness of the investigation being carried out into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by women wrestlers against WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh.

    Sibal, a senior advocate, represented the protesting wrestlers in the Supreme Court.

    In a tweet, Sibal said, “Investigating: Wrestlers Sexual Abuse. Some investigations move to punish the accused, others to save the accused. The way this investigation is going: We know!”

    The Delhi Police on Friday informed a special court here that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by women wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Singh.

    The submission was made before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal in response to the court’s earlier order directing the police to file a status report.

    The Delhi Police has also recorded the statement of Singh. Police have also recorded the statement of the WFI’s assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.

    Last month, the Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Singh.

    The first FIR pertains to allegations levelled by a minor which has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning outraging modesty.

    The second one has been registered over complaints by adults pertaining to outraging modesty.

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Tuesday expressed doubts about the fairness of the investigation being carried out into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by women wrestlers against WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh.

    Sibal, a senior advocate, represented the protesting wrestlers in the Supreme Court.

    In a tweet, Sibal said, “Investigating: Wrestlers Sexual Abuse. Some investigations move to punish the accused, others to save the accused. The way this investigation is going: We know!”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The Delhi Police on Friday informed a special court here that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by women wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Singh.

    The submission was made before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal in response to the court’s earlier order directing the police to file a status report.

    The Delhi Police has also recorded the statement of Singh. Police have also recorded the statement of the WFI’s assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.

    Last month, the Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Singh.

    The first FIR pertains to allegations levelled by a minor which has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning outraging modesty.

    The second one has been registered over complaints by adults pertaining to outraging modesty.

  • After PM’s ‘supari to dent my image’ remark, Sibal says let us know names, they must be prosecuted

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that some people have given ‘supari (contract)’ to dent his image, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday urged the PM to name them and said “let us prosecute them”.

    Addressing a gathering at Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal after flagging off a Vande Bharat Express train, Modi had said that some people are hellbent to sully his image and they have given a “supari” (contract) for this purpose, colluding with certain people sitting in India and also outside the country.

    Reacting to the remarks, Sibal said, “Modi ji’s charge: ‘They have given a contract to people. Some within the country and some, outside the country to dig Modi’s grave’. Please let us know the names of these: 1) individuals 2) institutions or 3) countries.”

    “This cannot be a state secret. Let us prosecute them,” Sibal said.

    In his remarks, Modi said, “There are some people in our country who have been determined since 2014, spoken publicly and declared their resolve that they will tarnish Modi’s image. For this, they have given ‘supari’ (contract) to various people.”

    ALSO READ | Communal violence on table for BJP with 2024 polls approaching, alleges Sibal

    “Some people are sitting inside the country to support these people and some are doing their work sitting outside the country. These people have been continuously trying to spoil and dent Modi’s image,” he had said.

    But India’s poor, the middle class, tribals, Dalits, backward classes and every Indian has become the security cover of Modi, which made these people furious forcing them to adopt new tricks, the prime minister had said.

    NEW DELHI: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that some people have given ‘supari (contract)’ to dent his image, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday urged the PM to name them and said “let us prosecute them”.

    Addressing a gathering at Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal after flagging off a Vande Bharat Express train, Modi had said that some people are hellbent to sully his image and they have given a “supari” (contract) for this purpose, colluding with certain people sitting in India and also outside the country.

    Reacting to the remarks, Sibal said, “Modi ji’s charge: ‘They have given a contract to people. Some within the country and some, outside the country to dig Modi’s grave’. Please let us know the names of these: 1) individuals 2) institutions or 3) countries.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “This cannot be a state secret. Let us prosecute them,” Sibal said.

    In his remarks, Modi said, “There are some people in our country who have been determined since 2014, spoken publicly and declared their resolve that they will tarnish Modi’s image. For this, they have given ‘supari’ (contract) to various people.”

    ALSO READ | Communal violence on table for BJP with 2024 polls approaching, alleges Sibal

    “Some people are sitting inside the country to support these people and some are doing their work sitting outside the country. These people have been continuously trying to spoil and dent Modi’s image,” he had said.

    But India’s poor, the middle class, tribals, Dalits, backward classes and every Indian has become the security cover of Modi, which made these people furious forcing them to adopt new tricks, the prime minister had said.

  • Statute’s 10th Schedule ‘misused, subverted’: Kapil Sibal

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Stressing the fact that 10th schedule of the Constitution that deals with disqualification was introduced to provide for disposal of complaints is being ‘misused’ and ‘subverted’ by every government, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal for former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday told Supreme Court that the speaker of the state Legislative Assembly can never act as an unbiased umpire. 

    “History has seen that Speakers always supported their party. Speaker can never act as an unbiased umpire. We had the 10th schedule to cure the constitutional morality and now it’s being subverted by every government. Now new shenanigans is happening,” Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said.

    Laying emphasis on the fact that the “speaker” as an arbiter under 10th schedule should be “impartial”, CJI D Y Chandrachud said, “What is worrying is if you say speaker can take all action until his disqualification when it is put to vote, the consequence is he can affect his own removal by acting in the motion… that can have an adverse affect.”

    In an attempt to convince the bench for having a re look at SC’s 2016 verdict in Nebam Rabia wherein SC had ruled that assembly speaker cannot proceed with a plea for disqualification of MLAs if a prior notice seeking his removal is pending decision in the House, he said, “impugned observations have created a constitutional hiatus and given an escape route to “constitutional sinners”.

    NEW DELHI:  Stressing the fact that 10th schedule of the Constitution that deals with disqualification was introduced to provide for disposal of complaints is being ‘misused’ and ‘subverted’ by every government, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal for former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday told Supreme Court that the speaker of the state Legislative Assembly can never act as an unbiased umpire. 

    “History has seen that Speakers always supported their party. Speaker can never act as an unbiased umpire. We had the 10th schedule to cure the constitutional morality and now it’s being subverted by every government. Now new shenanigans is happening,” Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said.

    Laying emphasis on the fact that the “speaker” as an arbiter under 10th schedule should be “impartial”, CJI D Y Chandrachud said, “What is worrying is if you say speaker can take all action until his disqualification when it is put to vote, the consequence is he can affect his own removal by acting in the motion… that can have an adverse affect.”

    In an attempt to convince the bench for having a re look at SC’s 2016 verdict in Nebam Rabia wherein SC had ruled that assembly speaker cannot proceed with a plea for disqualification of MLAs if a prior notice seeking his removal is pending decision in the House, he said, “impugned observations have created a constitutional hiatus and given an escape route to “constitutional sinners”.

  • What about Modi’s two crore jobs promise: Sibal’s dig at Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday took a swipe at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks urging people not to run after jobs, asking what about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two crore jobs per year promise.

    Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Bhagwat on Sunday said lack of dignity for labour was one of the main reasons behind unemployment in the country, and urged people to respect all kinds of work irrespective of their nature, while also asking them to stop running after jobs.

    Reacting to the remarks, Sibal tweeted, “Mohan Bhagwat: Don’t ‘chase government jobs’. Where are the private jobs Bhagwat ji?” “And what about the 2 crore jobs a year that Modiji promised!” the former Union minister said.

    At a public function in Mumbai, Bhagwat had said no work can be labelled big or small as it is done for society.

    “No matter what kind of work people do, it should be respected. Lack of dignity for labour is one of the chief reasons behind unemployment in society. Whether the work requires physical labour or intellect, whether it requires hard work or soft skills – all should be respected,” he said.

    “Everyone runs behind jobs. Government jobs are only around 10 per cent, while other jobs are around 20 per cent. No society in the world can create more than 30 per cent jobs,” he said.

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday took a swipe at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks urging people not to run after jobs, asking what about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two crore jobs per year promise.

    Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Bhagwat on Sunday said lack of dignity for labour was one of the main reasons behind unemployment in the country, and urged people to respect all kinds of work irrespective of their nature, while also asking them to stop running after jobs.

    Reacting to the remarks, Sibal tweeted, “Mohan Bhagwat: Don’t ‘chase government jobs’. Where are the private jobs Bhagwat ji?” “And what about the 2 crore jobs a year that Modiji promised!” the former Union minister said.

    At a public function in Mumbai, Bhagwat had said no work can be labelled big or small as it is done for society.

    “No matter what kind of work people do, it should be respected. Lack of dignity for labour is one of the chief reasons behind unemployment in society. Whether the work requires physical labour or intellect, whether it requires hard work or soft skills – all should be respected,” he said.

    “Everyone runs behind jobs. Government jobs are only around 10 per cent, while other jobs are around 20 per cent. No society in the world can create more than 30 per cent jobs,” he said.

  • ISRO espionage case: SC sets aside anticipatory bail of four former officers; asks HC to consider bail pleas afresh

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Kerala HC to consider afresh anticipatory bail pleas of former Gujarat DGP RB Sreekumar, two former police officers of Kerala, S Vijayan and Thampi S Durga Dutt, and a retired intelligence official P S Jayaprakash accused of hatching a conspiracy to frame former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayan and others in the ISRO espionage case.

    The retired Kerala Police officers S Vijayan and Thampi S Durga Dutt were part of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which arrested the scientist.

    The bench led by Justice MR Shah while setting aside HC’s order asked it to reconsider their pleas within four weeks. It further granted interim protection from arrest to the accused for five weeks and till the HC decides their pleas subject to them cooperating in the investigation.

    Court’s order came in a plea filed by CBI challenging Kerala HC’s April 16 order granting them anticipatory bail. HC while granting them bail had observed that concerns of the Kerala police at that stage about the espionage case cannot be said to be without basis.

    “Some of the documents which have been produced for perusal indicate that there were certain suspicious circumstances pointing towards the act of the Scientists in the ISRO and that is what induced the officers to proceed against them”, Justice Ashok Menon had noted in the order.

    The High Court also remarked that there was “not even a scintilla of evidence” to suggest that the petitioners accused of implicating former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in the espionage case were influenced by foreign elements.

    Challenging the bail, the probe agency had contended that the HC had granted anticipatory bail on the ground that the matter was old. ASG SV Raju had added that despite the offence which was committed 25 years ago, top court had directed for registration of FIR and it was not open for the HC to grant bail on this ground. On the other hand, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal for the then IB officer, argued accused was charged for “bailable offences”. He also added that there was no allegation against him in the FIR and there was no basis for the probe agency to take him into custody.

    Narayanan and six others were accused of selling secrets pertaining to ISRO’s cryogenic programme to women who were allegedly spying for Russia, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and other countries. In 1994, he and two other businessmen were arrested on the charges of espionage.

    In September 2018, the Supreme Court had held that the prosecution initiated by Kerala Police in the 1990’s in relation to the ISRO Espionage Case was maliciously moved against the Scientist, causing him immense humiliation. As a result of this, the Kerala Government was directed to pay compensation of Rs. 50 lac to Narayanan. Further to this, a three-member committee was constituted to probe into the illegal arrest of Narayanan.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Kerala HC to consider afresh anticipatory bail pleas of former Gujarat DGP RB Sreekumar, two former police officers of Kerala, S Vijayan and Thampi S Durga Dutt, and a retired intelligence official P S Jayaprakash accused of hatching a conspiracy to frame former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayan and others in the ISRO espionage case.

    The retired Kerala Police officers S Vijayan and Thampi S Durga Dutt were part of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which arrested the scientist.

    The bench led by Justice MR Shah while setting aside HC’s order asked it to reconsider their pleas within four weeks. It further granted interim protection from arrest to the accused for five weeks and till the HC decides their pleas subject to them cooperating in the investigation.

    Court’s order came in a plea filed by CBI challenging Kerala HC’s April 16 order granting them anticipatory bail. HC while granting them bail had observed that concerns of the Kerala police at that stage about the espionage case cannot be said to be without basis.

    “Some of the documents which have been produced for perusal indicate that there were certain suspicious circumstances pointing towards the act of the Scientists in the ISRO and that is what induced the officers to proceed against them”, Justice Ashok Menon had noted in the order.

    The High Court also remarked that there was “not even a scintilla of evidence” to suggest that the petitioners accused of implicating former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in the espionage case were influenced by foreign elements.

    Challenging the bail, the probe agency had contended that the HC had granted anticipatory bail on the ground that the matter was old. ASG SV Raju had added that despite the offence which was committed 25 years ago, top court had directed for registration of FIR and it was not open for the HC to grant bail on this ground. On the other hand, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal for the then IB officer, argued accused was charged for “bailable offences”. He also added that there was no allegation against him in the FIR and there was no basis for the probe agency to take him into custody.

    Narayanan and six others were accused of selling secrets pertaining to ISRO’s cryogenic programme to women who were allegedly spying for Russia, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and other countries. In 1994, he and two other businessmen were arrested on the charges of espionage.

    In September 2018, the Supreme Court had held that the prosecution initiated by Kerala Police in the 1990’s in relation to the ISRO Espionage Case was maliciously moved against the Scientist, causing him immense humiliation. As a result of this, the Kerala Government was directed to pay compensation of Rs. 50 lac to Narayanan. Further to this, a three-member committee was constituted to probe into the illegal arrest of Narayanan.

  • People like Sibal who didn’t abuse party after exit could be taken back, not Scindia, Sarma: Ramesh

    Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said 'Scindia is a `gaddar' (traitor), true gaddar, real gaddar and 24 carat gaddar.'