Senior space scientist Professor Roddam Narasimha has quit from the membership of Indian Space Commission, supporting former Isro chairman G Madhavan Nair in the controversial Antrix-Devas Deal.
He resigned from the post on Thursday and protested the union government's decision over barring Madhavan Nair and other three scientists for their alleged involvement in the Antix Devas deal.
Narasimha, who was also one of the members in the probe on the deal, told media that they submitted the report after identifying the lapses and suggested measures to make sure that they do not happen again.
"We found no evidence of wrong-doing or fraud or personal gain. I am deeply distressed over the humiliation heaped on people who spent their whole professional lives working for a valued national goal," he added.
In taking the blacklisting four top space scientists, including Madhavan Nair, for their alleged involvement in the Antrix-Devas deal, the government had cited the findings of two committees.
The two-member committee of BK Chaturvedi and Roddam Narasimha - which submitted its report before the other, led by former central vigilance commissioner Pratyush Sinha, was constituted.
Roddam opposed government's stand and conveyed a message to the Prime Minister saying blacklisting scientists was an unprecedented step and it would harm the space science field.
Now his resignation will be a huge setback to the Indian Space Commission. Now he is the professor Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore.