PETN report: Assembly rocked; ex-FSL head compulsorily retired

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes and repeated adjournments with the opposition and treasury benches trading charges over claims made by the government in connection with recovery of PETN from the House in July.
Meanwhile, the state government today gave compulsory retirement to former director of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for giving "misleading" report that the suspicious substance recovered from the Assembly on July 12 was highly explosive PETN.
Speaking during the Zero Hour, Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhry alleged that the Leader of the House (or the chief minister) had made the announcement about the alleged explosive material in July without getting it properly examined.

He said two Samajwadi Party members were "improperly" questioned by security agencies in this regard.
"What was said about the recovery of the explosive near Opposition benches was like a message that the Opposition was involved in terror activities...two of our members were questioned and this amounted to breach of their privileges," Chaudhary contended.
As the Leader of Opposition called for punishing the Leader of the House, state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna was on his feet, asserting that there cannot be any compromise on security when the entire world was facing the menace of terror.

As the minister asked the Opposition not to act irresponsibly, SP members rushed into the Well of the House raising slogans, leading to adjournment of the House for 50 minutes.

Power Minister Srikant Sharma was heard charging the Opposition, especially the Samajwadi Party, with attempting to hijack the House proceedings and showing arrogance.
In an embarrassment to the Adityanath-led government, the NIA, which was directed to probe the 'explosive' found in the Assembly, had in October found that the powdered substance was not any highly explosive PETN.
The state government had then suspended Forensic Lab director Shiv Bihari Upadhyay for his wrong report in the case.
Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar today said the state government has given compulsory retirement to Upadhyay.
"Former director, state-run FSL, Shyam Bihari Upadhyay has been compulsorily retired today after the competent authority approved the recommendation of the screening committee," Kumar said in a release.

Scientific officer, FSL, Raghavendra Yadav has also been given compulsory retirement, he said.
The action was taken against Upadhyay for giving a "wrong, misleading, incomplete and unconfirmed" report about the substance recovered in the state Assembly, the principal secretary said.
"Upadhyay got the substance examined and in his report it was said to be PETN positive. When the NIA got it tested from CFSL, Hyderabad, it was found to be Silicon Oxide (Quartz) and not the dangerous explosive," Kumar said.
The official said Upadhyay allegedly got the substance tested using an explosive detection kit, whose usage date had expired in March, 2016, itself.

Another charge against him is that the substance was tested by a person who was not an expert in the field, he said.
There were also complaints against Upadhyay pertaining to irregularities during his tenure as the acting director of a laboratory in Patna from February 28, 2008, to August 20, 2012, Kumar noted.
The "white powder" was found wrapped in a paper close to the seat of the Leader of the Opposition by the cleaning staff in the morning hours of July 12, before the House met for the day.
The powder weighing 150 gms was sent for FSL examination, which suggested that it was plastic explosive PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate), the chief minister had said.

PETN is a dangerous plastic explosive and has been used in terror attacks as the colourless crystals can surpass security checks.
When the House reassembled, Congress leader Ajay Kumar Lallu alleged that the the chief minister had created an "atmosphere of fear" by the announcement which turned out to be false and asked him to take it back, prompting the BJP members to lodge a strong protest.
Lalji Verma (BSP) questioned as to why the announcement of the recovery of the suspicious looking substance came from the government instead of the Speaker.
Adityanath said that the announcement was made after the matter was discussed in all-party meeting and he had got the feedback from then director of FSL.

"Is the respect of an individual more important than that of the entire House?...it was our moral responsibility and we did what was expected of us... what if the recovered substance was actually an explosive?...explosions do not wait for anyone," he said.
"There is no need to do politics over the issue...ours is the policy of zero tolerance on the issue of security," the chief minister said.
He also regretted that unparliamentary language was being used in the House since yesterday.
"Instead of issues, personal attacks are being made...the respect of the House is lowered when Opposition throw paper balls on Governor and indulge in whistling," he said.

"Our alertness will give us security..." he stressed.