'An Attempt To Scuttle Due Process Of Law': CBI Objects Former Gujarat DGP RB Sreekumar's Bail Plea In ISRO Espionage Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken strong objection to the anticipatory bail application preferred by the retired Gujarat DGP RB Sreekumar before the Kerala High Court. The objection was filed through Assistant Solicitor General of India, P Vijayakumar. 

Calling the bail petition 'premature' and 'not sustainable', the CBI argued that the sole motive of filing the same was to get away from clutches of law.

It was also asserted that the CBI had produced sufficient material on record for the Court to form an opinion that the former DGP was guilty of having committed the offences alleged against him. The Bureau added that there was no reason to entertain the application at this stage. 

'The petitioner should not be permitted to scuttle the due process of law', the objection urged. 

The CBI had also accused the case to involve national interest and responded to every averment raised by the petitioner in his bail plea. 

In the application, the retired DGP has admitted to having been deputed for interrogation with other IB officials. Regarding this averment, the Burea has alleged that although police custody of the suspects in the espionage matter was given to Kerala Police, they were under the physical custody of the IB. 

It was during this custody that former scientist Nambi Narayanan was alleged to be tortured and his false interrogation reports were prepared. The investigation as to whether the applicant was personally present for the interrogation of the scientist or in the criminal conspiracy that ensued was still at the initial stage, they submitted. 

Additionally, there was also an argument to the tune of negating the petitioner's statement that he had never interrogated the scientist for the reason that they knew each other before the investigation was launched. They have also hinted at the possibility of the DGP instructing his juniors rather than interrogating him in person. 

The objection also revealed that during the investigation, Narayanan had disclosed an episode where the petitioner had threatened him. As per the report, the Sreekumar had approached the former scientist to get one of his relatives appointed to a post at the Thumba station, and when this appointment did not happen, he warned Narayanan that he would 'regret this in the future.'  

According to the CBI, being the senior-most officer of the SIB after the Joint Director, the petitioner had the power to depute his officers to interrogate the scientist for personal vengeance. It was also submitted that Narayanan and the other accused were arrested without any evidence and thereby falsely implicated for a grave offence. 

The Bureau submitted that the investigation was still in its initial stage and that if the petitioner was released on anticipatory bail at this juncture, it would hamper the pace of the investigation. It was also suspected that if granted such relief, he may not even cooperate with the investigation. As such, the CBI vehemently opposed the bail petition and sought for it to be dismissed by the Court. 

Sreekumar had recently approached the Court seeking anticipatory bail in the case where Nambi Narayanan was implicated for allegedly selling confidential information and technology to Pakistan in 1994. He was granted an interim relief in the matter. 

Case Title: R.B. Sreekumar v. CBI