The Oommen Chandy-led Government, which has been battered by a slew of scams including the solar scam and the bar bribery scam, has suffered another setback – this time in the infamous ISRO espionage case.

The UDF Government has been put in a tight spot by the decision of Sibi Mathews, who headed the police team which probed the espionage case, to appeal against the Kerala High Court’s order in the case. The HC had asked the state government to reconsider its decision to let off the three police officers who had investigated the infamous case, and take ‘appropriate action’ within three months.

The HC order had come in response to a petition filed by former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan who had been an accused in the infamous ISRO spy case. Narayanan had challenged the Chandy Government’s decision not to take action against the police officers. The three police officers – former ADGP Sibi Mathews and two retired SPs, Joshua and S. Vijayan - were held responsible by the CBI for the illegal arrest of Narayanan, and the CBI had recommended to the state government action against them. But the Chandy Government refrained from acting on the CBI order.

The charge against Narayanan was that he had leaked sensitive information to foreign agencies. He had been acquitted by the Supreme Court based on the CBI report.

Sibi Mathews, who is set to file his appeal shortly, said he had been constrained to file an appeal in as the Government had failed to do so for ‘political reasons’. Mathews said he had been unfairly blamed by the CBI report, and that the appeal was necessary to clear his name.

The move has put the Chandy Government under tremendous pressure. It would be damned if it goes in appeal against the HC order. It would be damned if it does not.

Already Congress MLA, K. Muralidharan, son of former Chief Minister late K. Karunakaran, who had to resign as the Chief Minister in the wake of the espionage case, is vehemently opposed to the Chandy Government appealing against the HC order.

Both Murali and Padmaja, daughter of Karunakaran feel that the Chandy Government’s refusal to act against the police officers was an act of gross injustice to Karunakaran. Significantly, both Murali and Padmaja have formally joined the I group, strengthening the anti-Oommen Chandy forces in the group fight within the Congress.

The HC order has created a rift in the Congress with the I group led by Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, demanding action against the police officers. The I group has never forgiven the A group headed by Oommen Chandy for utilizing the spy case to oust the then Chief Minister K. Karunakaran from the chief minister’s post.

Meanwhile, leaders belonging to various political parties have asked Sibi Mathews, who has claimed that he has been made a scapegoat in the case, to come clean on his observation. If he has been victimised, who has done it? And who are the political leaders on whose orders he acted? These leaders say Mathews cannot shy away from disclosing the names of the Congress leaders who have made him the scapegoat.

If Mathews does come out with damaging evidence of the ‘conspiracy’ which resulted in the ouster of Karunakaran as the Chief Minister, besides the arrest of scientist Nambi Narayanan, it could create serious problems and embarrassment for the chief minister and other Congress leaders. (IPA Service)