In a big relief to former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist S Nambi Narayanan, the Supreme Court on Friday said the arrest was "needless and unnecessary" and ordered a probe into the role of Kerala police officers on framing up Narayanan in a 1994 espionage case.


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 A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra awarded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the 76-year-old Narayanan for being subjected to mental cruelty in the case.


The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, formed a three-member panel headed by its former judge D K Jain to probe Narayanan being framed in the spy case. 


Narayanan had approached the apex court against the judgement of the Kerala High Court, which said no action was required to be taken against the former DGP and two retired superintendents of police K K Joshua and S Vijayan, who were later held responsible by the CBI for the scientist's illegal arrest.


In 1998, the apex court granted compensation of Rs 1 lakh to Narayanan and others, who were discharged in the case, and directed the state government to pay the amount. He later approached the NHRC claiming compensation from the state government for the mental agony and torture suffered by him. 


The NHRC, after hearing both sides and taking into account the apex court judgement of April 29, 1998, awarded him interim compensation of Rs 10 lakh in March 2001.