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Hyderabad CFSL confirms powder found in UP Assembly wasn’t an explosive

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File photo of security drill at UP Assembly

Major embarrassment for Yogi Adityanath government which had hurriedly sought an NIA probe, ordered slew of restrictions on vehicular entry in Assembly premises

In a major embarrassment for the Yogi Adityanath government, the Hyderabad-based Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) has confirmed that the ‘high-intensity explosive’ powder found in the UP Assembly on July 12 was actually a harmless silicon oxide or silica powder, one of the most commonly used substances in construction and sand-casting!

On July 14, two days after the so-called explosive was found stuck under a seat in the Opposition benches, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath had informed the state Assembly that there was a “dangerous terror conspiracy” and that tests conducted by the state forensic science laboratory in Lucknow had concluded that the powder was PETN – Pentaery-thritol Tetranitrate – one of the most powerful explosives, colourless and hard to detect in a sealed container.

The chief minister had gone on to announce a slew of new security measures for the Assembly, including deployment of quick-reaction teams inside the Vidhan Sabha premises and a ban on MLAs to enter the assembly with their cell phones or bags. Adityanath had then referred the case for an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), while claiming: “500 grams of the substance (PETN) is enough to blow up the entire Vidhan Sabha, and this was 150 grams… this can be called nothing less than a direct infiltration and now the NIA must probe it immediately.”

Yogi Adityanath

Yogi Adityanath

However, days after the high drama unfolded in the Vidhan Sabha, chinks began appearing in Adityanath’s story, with several independent forensic experts and some media organisations claiming that the state FSL had no expertise or apparatus to test PETN. The Adityanath government, however, continued to insist that the powder was indeed an explosive while the state’s Anti-Terrorism Squad summoned two Samajwadi Party MLAs for questioning as the powder had been found from under their seat.

Now, with the Hyderabad CFSL conclusively demolishing the PETN, a different narrative is being built by the Adityanath government.On Monday, the Dr SB Upadhyay, director of the UP FSL which had concluded the powder to be PETN, was suspended by the government citing a laundry list of charges.

UP Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar told The Indian Express, “Upadhyay has been suspended on various charges, including giving unconfirmed, incorrect and incomplete laboratory report on the powder found inside the UP Assembly. He was also misguiding the government.” Sources also said that the kit that was used to test the powder’s contents by the UP FSL on July 12 had actually expired in March while the analysts who conducted these tests too didn’t belong to the lab’s explosives section.

Predictably, no explanation has been given by the UP government yet on why these issues were probed by the state when initial doubts had been raised on the report of the UP FSL.

It may be recalled that within a week of the UP FSL and Adityanath claiming that the powder was PETN, the Agra-based Forensic Science Laboratory – the only lab in UP which is equipped to test explosives – had said that the powder was not an explosive. However, the UP government had then gone in an overdrive to refute the Agra FSL report, claiming that no sample of the powder found in the Assembly premises had been sent to the Agra lab for testing.

The UP government is also claiming that the now-suspended UP FSL chief also faces complaints of financial irregularities during his tenure as acting director of a laboratory in Patna between 2008 and 2012. Arvind Kumar, principal secretary (home), said that the Bihar government had written to the UP government, seeking action against Upadhyay, and that the complaint by the Nitish Kumar government had also been included in the chargesheet filed against the UP FSL chief. However, Kumar failed to answer why Upadhyay was appointed the UP FSL chief in the first place if there were complaints of financial irregularities pending against him when he was selected for the role.

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Swati Maliwal reacts to viral video, refers accused as political hitman

The Rajya Sabha MP added that the political hitman is getting his people to tweet and play videos without any context.

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal has reacted to the viral video, allegedly shot at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. The video shows the Rajya Sabha MP in a heated confrontation with the staff. 

Reacting to the viral video on X, formerly Twitter, Swati Maliwal said that like every time, this political hitman has started efforts to save himself.  She was apparently referring to Bibhav Kumar, whom she accused of assaulting her. 

The Rajya Sabha MP added that the political hitman is getting his people to tweet and play videos without any context. She added that the truth will be revealed to everyone as soon as the CCTV footage of the house and the room is checked.

She concluded that he may fall to whatever level he can, but God is watching everything, and one day everyone’s truth will come out in front of the world. Earlier, Swati Maliwal has alleged that she was assaulted by the Chief Minister’s personal assistant, Bibhav Kumar, when she sought time to meet the Chief Minister that day. 

In the viral video, shared across the social media platforms, Swati Maliwal can be seen engaged in a heated exchange with staff members who are requesting her to exit the drawing room. 

In the footage, Bibhav Kumar, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s former PA implicated in the assault allegations, is seen present in the room while other staff are speaking with Swati Maliwal. Additionally, MP Swati Maliwal is also heard issuing a threat to one of the staff members, vowing to ensure their job termination. However, the authenticity of the video remains unverified.

In the formal complaint lodged with the Delhi Police, Swati Maliwal detailed a disturbing sequence of events, alleging that Bibhav Kumar subjected her to multiple instances of physical violence. Maliwal alleged that Bibhav Kumar repeatedly slapped her at least seven to eight times while she continued to cry. She also said that she was dragged and kicked in the chest, stomach, and pelvis area.

The complaint stated that when she entered the office and attempted to reach the Chief Minister’s PA, Bibhav Kumar, she was unable to find him. She then entered the residence and was told to wait in the drawing room, when Bibhav Kumar suddenly entered, shouting and abusing her. The alleged assault took place on May 13, when she visited the Civil Lines residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. 

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ED names Arvind Kejriwal, AAP as accused in Delhi excise policy case

Arvind Kejriwal was taken into custody on March 21. The Supreme Court last Friday granted him interim bail.

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been named toady as a prime accused by the Enforcement Directorate in a new supplemental chargesheet in the money laundering case pertaining to the now-scrapped Delhi liquor excise policy 2021–2022.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been identified as an accused in the case by the central inquiry agency.

In the excise policy case, the ED informed the Supreme Court that it had found conversations between Arvind Kejriwal and hawala operators about the purported profits of crime.

The organization said that since Kejriwal declined to provide the password to his devices, the chats were retrieved from the hawala operators’devices.

Kejriwal filed a plea contesting the legality of his arrest by the EnforcementDirectorate, and the top court has reserved its decision. It allowed the Delhi Chief Minister to petition the trial court for bail without compromising his legal rights and appeals before the Supreme Court.

The CM filed a plea contesting the legality of his arrest by the EnforcementDirectorate, and the top court has reserved its decision. It allowed the Delhi Chief Minister to petition the trial court for bail without compromising his legal rights and appeals before the Supreme Court.

After the Delhi CM ignored nine summonses from the ED, he was taken into custody on March 21. The Supreme Court last Friday granted him interim bail. Last month, bail was granted for Sanjay Singh, his party colleague. Two other leaders of the party, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, remain incarcerated.

On August 22, 2022, the ED filed a money laundering case in response to a CBI FIR that had been filed on August 17, 2022, in order to investigate suspected anomalies in the DelhiExcise policy of 2021–2022.

Following Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena’s recommendation for an investigation into purported irregularities in the formulation and execution of the liquor policy, the CBI had filed a FIR.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Rahul Gandhi says Congress will give 10kg free ration if elected to power

He also recalled that during the UPA government, the Congress has given legal status to the right to food through the Food Security Act.

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Ahead of the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election, Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the Congress will provide 10 Kg free ration to the poor families if elected to power. He added that 10 Kg ration along with Rs 8500 per month will promote education and self-employment among millions in the country.

Taking to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said that Congress has taken another big decision for the poor families of the country. He promised that his party will give 10 Kg free ration, instead of 5Kg. He also recalled that during the UPA government, the Congress has given legal status to the right to food through the Food Security Act. and that 10 Kg free ration will be the next step in the direction.

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of running a government of Adani, and making 20-25 billionaires, the senior Congress leader said that Congress will make crores of millionaires and run the government of Indians. Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also promised to provide 10Kg free ration if voted to power.

Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday slammed BJP’s 5Kg ration policy at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli, where Rahul Gandhi is contesting. She said that 5Kg ration will not make one self-reliant, but employment will. She explained the electorates need to understand that political parties whose ideologies make people dependent is not right. She concluded that voters will choose employment over 5Kg ration that BJP promises.

Along with 10Kg free ration, Congress has also promised to start recuitment process for 30 lakh government post by August 15. The Party also vowed to provide the youth their first job of Rs 1 lakh per year. It also guranteed better working conditions, pensions and social security for the work force of the gig economy.

Furthermore, the Congress also promised start-up funds for young entrepreneurs at district levels from the national funds of Rs 5000 crore. The party also pledged to give National minimum wage of Rs400 per day, including all MGNREGS workers, and stop contractualisation of employment in core government functions.

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