Nothing personal in action against scientists, says ISRO chief

A day after a high-level panel report found “serious” administrative and procedural lapses on the part of former ISRO chief, Mr G. Madhavan Nair, and three other scientists in the Antrix-Devas deal, space agency chief, Dr K. Radhakrishnan, today said that there was nothing personal in it.

“Whatever we really wanted to say on the subject, we have put on the website. There is a full report. Conclusions and recommendations on the second report. And there is a four-page statement. I don’t want to add anything more. There is nothing personal in it,” he said.

Mr Nair had picked holes in the report, saying it was one-sided with “inconsistencies and inaccuracies” and attacked the Department of Space(DoS) headed by his successor, Dr Radhakrishnan, for “cowardice” in releasing only “convenient portions’’.

The report prepared by a five-member committee headed by Mr Pratyush Sinha, former Chief Vigilance Commissioner, was made public on Saturday night. Antrix is the commercial arm of ISRO and Devas is a private firm and the controversial deal has since been annulled.

It said Antrix-Devas deal lacked transparency and recommended that action needs to be taken against Mr Nair and fellow senior space scientists Mr A. Bhaskaranarayana, Mr K.R. Sridhara Murthi and Mr K.N. Shankara, all of whom have retired.

The report said the terms of Antrix-Devas contract “were heavily loaded in favour of Devas’’.

The team, which was set up to examine the deal and identify the acts of omission and commission by government officials, said “...there have not only been serious administrative and procedural lapses but also suggestion of collusive behaviour on the part of certain individuals and accordingly, responsibilities have to be fixed for taking action’’.

“It is very clear that there have been serious lapses of judgment on the part of a number of officials,” the report said.

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