US drops Indian scientist’s name from nuke blacklist

This claim was backed by the government, which sent passport details and other evidence for a review by US authorities. It took over a year for Washington to process the Indian request with matter moving fast in the wake of Bush’s India visit.

For Surendar, however, it now means that he can apply for visa to the US to watch his daughter graduate. ‘‘I am happy that this has happened. I have always maintained that I had nothing to do with Iran. It has take more than a year, but I am happy that my name has been cleared. I can now go meet my daughter,’’ he told The Indian Express from Mumbai.

Surendar avoided discussing his daughter’s whereabouts with anyone. ‘‘I did not want her or her husband to be harassed because of me. I had been told by the Department of Atomic Energy to be patient as my case was being processed by the US.’’Y S R Prasad, the other scientist named along with Surendar last September, continues to remain blacklisted under the Iran Non-Proliferation Act 2000. He had visited Iran but has maintained that his trips were always under the aegis of the International Atomic Energy Agency. This claim has been backed by the government. Two Indian companies—Sandhya Organic Chemical Pvt. Ltd. and Sabero Organic Chemical Gujarat Ltd.—have been placed under sanctions. Here again, the charges have been refuted by India. ‘‘The sanctions imposed… relate to transfer of some chemicals to Iran. Our preliminary assessment is that the transfer of such chemicals is not in violation of our regulations or our international obligations,’’ said the MEA Spokesperson today.

The chemical in question is apparently Phosphorous Oxychloride used as an intermediary in pharma industry. ‘‘We arranged for sending of the consignment to Iran but it never got delivered.We are trying to obtain more details as the consignment is still in Mumbai,’’ Sandhya’s Managing Director K M Koli told The Indian Express.

While this is believed to be a weapons-grade chemical, its trade is not prohibited. Preliminary information from the company indicates that the consignment was arranged through a mediator but the delivery could not be done for reasons unclear. ‘‘This was the only time we have done business related to Iran,’’ claimed a company official. This was almost two years ago. Since then, India has put in place a stringent legislation on export of such material so the company now compulsorily obtains an end-user certificate from its buyers.