A US court has denied bail to the Nasa scientist who was arrested by the FBI on espionage charges and allegedly tried tosell classified defence documents to an Israeli agent for $2 million.
Stewart David Nozette, 52), who was one of the principal investigators for the Chandrayan-I mission of ISRO and played a key role in finding water on the Moon, pleaded not guilty when he was produced before a court here yesterday.
But, the judge Deborah Robinson denied his bail application arguing that he was being considered as a flight risk and should remain in jail awaiting trial.
Nozette, who was indicted early this week on charges of selling classified US information to an undercover Israeli agent, faces death penalty.
He has been charged with two counts of attempted espionage for allegedly trying to sell secrets to an FBI agent posing as an Israeli intelligence officer.
Nozette, who had made several trips to India in connection with his association with the Chandrayan-I mission, had served 16 years in sensitive position in various wings of the federal government including the White House, Nasa and Energy Department, assisted in the development of the Clementine bi-static radar experiment which purportedly discovered water ice on the south pole of the moon.
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