ISRO Spy Case: Kerala HC Extends Ex-DGP Siby Mathews's Anticipatory Bail

Mathews is the fourth accused in the case pertaining to an alleged conspiracy to frame former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan and others in the 1994 espionage case

Kerala High Court | PTI File Image

Chennai: The Kerala High Court on Friday extended the time limit imposed on the anticipatory bail to former DGP Siby Mathews. The Thiruvananthapuram Sessions Court had earlier granted the bail to former DGP until October 24.

Mathews is the fourth accused in the case pertaining to an alleged conspiracy to frame former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan and others in the 1994 espionage case.

Kerala High Court extends the anticipatory bail of former DGP Siby Mathews, which was granted by the Thiruvananthapuram Sessions Court till October 27, in the conspiracy to frame former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan and others in the 1994 espionage case pic.twitter.com/kLgjSoccNU

— ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2021

"After a period of 60 days from the date of this order, the petitioner has to resort to remedies provided in Section 437 or 439 of the CrPC or such other remedies as advised to him," the Thiruvananthapuram sessions court had held in an order issued on August 24, according to a report in The New Indian Express.

Siby Mathews filed a petition challenging the sessions court order, which was submitted by Senior Advocate P Vijayabhanu who said that the granted 60 days will end on October 24 but the CBI counsel has sought more time to argue the matter. Considering the request, High Court Justice Haripal pronounced that the case will be heard on October 27.

Siby Mathew contended that the time limit imposed on his pre-arrest bail granted should be overturned asserting that it violates the law set by the constitutional bench of the apex court. The Supreme Court held that the life of an order of anticipatory bail should be applicable till the end of the trial and it shouldn't be limited to a stipulated time.