Nair moves CAT against government ban

KOCHI: Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair on Monday approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) seeking a directive to quash the Centre’s decision to bar him from holding any government jobs.Nair pointed out that the report prepared by the Prime Minister’s high-level committee that probed the Antrix-Devas contract was ‘distorted’.Based on the report, the govt had restrained him from holding any government jobs, seeking re-employment, having any role in the committee, no assignments or consultancy with govt.Nair also challenged the order of the Department of Space to terminate him from the post of Vikram Sarabhai Distinguished Professor for his alleged role in the controversial allocation of S-band space segment to private firm Devas.Seeking a directive to quash the three orders by the Department of Space, Nair said that the orders were in violation of the basic principles of natural justice.According to him, the Chathurvedi Commission, which first probed the Antrix-Devas deal did not find any malpractice and misuse of funds. Later, the Pratyush Sinha Committee, which probed the issue, did not follow proper procedure and this led the govt to take action against him and others. The findings of the Sinha panel sounded dubious, he said.