Isro intruder's police custody ends today

The incarceration of Buela M Sam, arrested for entering the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) campus with fake identification papers, is due to end today.

The court had remanded her in police custody on September 25 for a period of four days.

The move threatens to upset police investigation which is yet to achieve a breakthrough. Sources explained that Sam, instead of co-operating with authorities, has retreated into a shell. A senior official said that she has continued her claims of being an Isro scientist during interrogations.

B Dayananda, Joint Commissioner (Crime-East), told Deccan Herald that the investigation is still in its nascent stage, and that they have been unable to decide on Sam’s story. “We have written to authorities in Nimhans to conduct a psychological evaluation of Sam. This will happen when medical facilities are made available to us.

The Nimhans report will likely be the breakthrough in the case and will at least guide us towards the right direction in the investigation,” he added.

Sources said that Sam may be subjected to a psychiatric evaluation at Nimhans on Friday. The police will seek an extension of the police custody as the investigation has not achieved a breakthrough, sources said.

Two others grilled

On Wednesday, a special team from the City police travelled to Kollam, Kerala, to summon two people for questioning in connection with the case.

One of these, Srinidhi Bala, the owner of the photo-studio in Kollam where Sam had got her counterfeit ID card laminated, has been co-operating with police. Sources confirmed that Sam’s photo has been found in the impounded computer hard disk of the studio.

Bala, however, has claimed innocence. Police confirmed that they have summoned Dibin, an engineer from Kollam who had told Sam of the seminar being conducted at Isro.

However, B Dayananda, Joint Commissioner, (Crime-East) said that no one else has been arrested.