ISRO espionage case: Five accused including ex-DGP, ADGP appear before CBI

The five accused, Sibi Mathews, former Kerala Director General of Police (DGP); R B Sreekumar, former Gujarat Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Thampi S Durga Dutt, Deputy Superintendent of Police; P S Jayaprakash, former intelligence officer; and S Vijayan, (retd) Circle Inspector, appeared before the CBI for questioning, said officials.

Earlier this month, two accused Siby Mathews and R B Sreekumar were granted anticipatory bail by the Kerala High Court.

A single bench of Justice K Babu granted anticipatory bail to former Kerala police officers S Vijayan and Thampi S Durga Dutt, and retired intelligence official PS Jayaprakash, with conditions.

The HC held a fresh hearing on the bail applications of the five accused after its earlier order, granting them pre-arrest bail in 2021, was set aside by the Supreme Court in December 2022.

The Supreme Court referred the matter back to the high court, observing that the previous order was passed without considering certain aspects.

"The accused must appear before the CBI for interrogation on January 27 between 10.00 am and 11.00 am. They shall continue to appear before the interrogating officer on Mondays and Fridays for a further period of two weeks. They shall continue to report before the investigating officer for interrogation as and when required. If arrested, they shall be released on bail on executing bonds for Rs 1 lakh each with two solvent sureties each for the like sum," HC said on January 20, laying out the conditions for granting anticipatory bail.

"The accused cannot leave India without the permission of a jurisdictional court. They shall not influence the witnesses or tamper with the evidence. They shall fully corporate with the investigation subjecting themselves to deemed custody as observed in Gurbachan Singh and Sushila Aggarwal cases for the purpose of discovery or identification if any," the single bench ruled further. (ANI)