spacetoday.net: Former ISRO head barred from Indian government jobs

Former ISRO head barred from Indian government jobs

Posted: Fri, Jan 27, 2012, 5:25 AM ET (1025 GMT)
The former head of the Indian space agency ISRO has been barred from any future positions with the government because of his alleged involvement in a spectrum deal with an Indian company. The Indian government said that G. Madhavan Nair and three others would no longer be eligible for government positions because of their role approving a deal between ISRO's commercial arm, Antrix, and a telecommunications company, Devas, in 2005. That deal allegedly gave Devas access to satellite spectrum in violation of existing regulations. The contract was canceled last February as part of a government investigation into the deal. Nair has protested the decision and claims he is being scapegoated by current ISRO leadership.