Radhakrishan refutes Nair's claim on probe

Enquiry conducted, not a cowardice act: Isro chief to his predecessor

PTI | February 6, 2012



The ISRO row intensified on Monday with the space agency chief  K Radhakrishnan refuting the charge by his predecessor G Madhavan Nair that no enquiry was conducted on the findings of an official report on the Antrix-Devas deal

"It (the enquiry) was done", Radhakrishnan, also the Secretary in the Department of Space, who has come under persistent scathing attack from Nair, told PTI.

Nair along with three other scientists were barred from holding any government post following their indictment over the deal.

Radhakrishnan said the detailed letter of the Pratyush Sinha-chaired high level committee listing out the "charges, lapses and irregularities" had been sent to Nair and seven other officials.

The DoS on Saturday night made public the report of the High Powered Review Committee (HPRC) which reviewed the technical, commercial, procedural and financial aspects of the Antrix-Devas deal, and conclusions and recommendations of the High Level Team (HLT) without putting out the full text.

Terming findings in the five-member HLT, which identified acts of omission and commission by government officials, as "serious allegations", Nair yesterday questioned the DoS for not conducting an enquiry into them

Slamming last month's action to bar him and three other scientists from Government jobs as "witch-hunt", Nair had also alleged that Radhakrishnan is behind the move.

According to an ISRO statement released on Saturday, seven of the eight scientists, including Nair, had replied to the HLT's detailed letters sent in July last seeking clarifications on their involvement in various lapses and issues, including those pointed out by HPRC. .

Later, the committee chairman provided opportunity for personal hearing as requested by Nair and two others, the statement said.

Asked why only "conclusions and recommendations" and not the full report had been made public, Radhakrishnan said: "Because it was not essential. That's the only thing. Some things are not to be given"

Queried if it was because of strategic and defence interests, he said: "Such issues are there. That's why we don't want to give. Important element is conclusions and recommendations".

Nair had yesterday said only convenient portions of the report had been made public, calling it an act of 'cowardice'.

He also saw a "lot of inconsistencies and inaccuracies" in it.

On Nair's personal attack against him, Radhakrishnan said he does not want to say anything about it.

Asked if he is sorry for the four scientists who have contributed a lot to the space programme, the ISRO chief said: "I should not say anything about it. I will keep quiet on this subject".

Radhakrishnan earlier on Monday told reporters: "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".

Comments

 

Other News

El Niño threatens India’s Rabi crops

India’s southwest monsoon ended with a 13% rainfall deficit in 2026, its weakest performance in a decade, raising concerns over agricultural production, water security and the upcoming rabi season. With El Niño expected to persist into early 2027, experts warn that declining soil moisture, dep

Regulating the data advantage: India’s new e-Commerce framework

For over a decade, India’s e-commerce story has rested on a simple premise: platforms connect buyers and sellers, while data fuels efficiency, personalisation, and scale. However, as the market matured, its structure has revealed a growing imbalance. E-commerce platforms, especially marketplace ent

Changing weather patterns, climate change responsible for Nepal floods

The interaction between active Western Disturbances, increased atmospheric moisture and the region’s complex topography aswell as global warming are important factors behind intense rainfall in the Himalayas, leading to flash floods in Nepal, according to meteorologists. Nepal

A right she cannot reach

Last summer, the two of us spent several weeks in rural Madhya Pradesh with a non-profit that works on gender justice through women’s self-help groups. We went in with a notebook full of laws. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. The Dowry Prohibition Act. Free legal aid for every wo

Tier-2 cities lead India’s digital credit push

Digital payments have become a reflex for urban India, but the confidence earned in paying has not yet carried over to borrowing. That is the central finding of `How Urban India Pays Report 2026`, released by Pahlé India Foundation in collaboration with Amazon Pay. Based on a survey of 5,149 consu

India calls for doubling bilateral trade with UK by 2030

Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal has called upon businesses in India and the United Kingdom to translate the opportunities created by the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) into expanded trade, investment, partnerships and job creation. Addressing the Bu

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter