'Nair needs to furnish more facts for favourable judgment'

A course correction by the government in the case of former Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chief G Madhavan Nair and three other scientists associated with Antrix-Devas deal hinges on whether they can come up with new facts before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, suggesting the two panels’ which examined the matter haven’t considered these.

A senior government official told Business Standard, “A decision has been taken on the basis of facts available and presented. The person (Nair) has the right to go to the higher authority (prime minister in this case) and that is what he is doing.”

The official said any authority could take a decision only on the basis of the information available and sentiments and emotions did not play any role in judgments.

He said the action taken in this case was not a conviction and any change in the decision would depend on whether there were new facts to go for a course correction or not.

Nair has written to the prime minister to quash the official order barring him and the three fellow space scientists from holding government posts and to also probe the issue.