English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

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

Published

on

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.

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

PM Modi raises national security pitch to attack Congress, says Pakistan now weeping and screaming for help under BJP rule

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a massive gathering in Palamu, Jharkhand, where he highlighted the achievements of his government and warned against the dangers posed by the Congress and its allies

Published

on

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a scathing attack on the Congress over national security and said the grand old party is a coward as its government used to weep on global platforms after terrorist attacks. The prime minister was addressing a rally in Jharkhand’s Palamu where he said the situation has changed under the BJP rule and Pakistan is now weeping and screaming for help.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a massive gathering in Palamu, Jharkhand, where he highlighted the achievements of his government and warned against the dangers posed by the Congress and its allies. Speaking to the enthusiastic crowd, PM Modi emphasized the significance of each vote and the transformative impact it can have on the nation.

He took a veiled dig at Rahul Gandhi and said Pakistani leaders, shaken by surgical strikes, are praying for shahzada to become the next Prime Minister. But a strong India wants a strong government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attack on Rahul Gandhi comes days after a former minister in Imran Khan’s Cabinet in Pakistan, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, shared a video which featured the Congress leader on his social media handle and praised him for attacking the BJP.

PM Modi trained his guns on the ruling alliance in Jharkhand and said corrupt JMM and Congress leaders have amassed huge wealth for their children. He further added that he did not own a home or even a bicycle. There is no blot of corruption on him in the past 25 years as chief minister and prime minister. Earlier while speaking in Sabarkantha, PM Modi said the BJP government has been consistently taking strong action against terrorism across the Pakistan border in comparison to weak governments in the past.

The Prime Minister said terrorists used to come to India and carry out attacks. The weak government during that time used to send dossiers. He further added that today’s new India does not send dossiers, it gives dose to terrorists.

Continue Reading

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

PM Modi takes a dig at Rahul Gandhi after Congress picks him for Raebareli, says daro mat, bhago mat

PM Modi, speaking at a Lok Sabha election rally in Bengal, said both Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi had fled their constituencies.

Published

on

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today commented for the first time to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s announcement of his candidacy for the Raebareli seat. Rahul is making his way towards Raebareli because he is afraid of Amethi seat, according to the PM.

The Prime Minister sneered as he said at a rally in Bengal that today he also want to tell him, Daro Mat (don’t be afraid), Bhaago Mat (don’t run).

Rahul Gandhi has often said, Daro Mat while accusing the BJP government of using investigaticve agencies to terrorise critics and political opponents.

According to Prime Minister Modi, there is no need for an exit poll or opinion survey because Congress would lose by a greater margin than the previous time.

Their tallest leader did not have the guts to fight the polls in Raebareli, Prime Minister Modi added, making reference to Sonia Gandhi. She went away and joined the Rajya Sabha in Rajasthan.

The PM reffered Rahul Gandhi as Shehzaada and said he would lose Wayanad, as he has predicted. He was searching for a second seat because of this. Also, their supporters said that he would battle from Amethi. However, PM Modi said, he is so afraid that he ran to Raebareli to find a way out.

Additionally, he claimed that the I.N.D.I.A bloc is only committed to the voting base of a specific locality.

Speaking out against the TMC and the Left-Congress allience in Bengal, Prime Minister Modi claimed he was not afraid since he had overcome poverty. Getting scared is not in his dictionary. He is determined to work for the country, he said.

Meanwhile, the Amethi-Raebareli decision was attacked by a number of BJP leaders, who claimed it was obvious that Rahul Gandhi knew he couldn’t win Amethi, where Smriti Irani is contesting again following her stunning success in the previous Lok Sabha election.

Continue Reading

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Rahul Gandhi to contest from Raebareli, KL Sharma from Amethi

Published

on

The Congress party unveiled its list of candidates on Friday, and the party has picked Rahul Gandhi from Raebareli and Kishori Lal Sharma from Amethi has been nominated. After a great deal of speculation regarding the two Uttar Pradesh seats, the announcement was made.

Raebareli and Amethi have both been strongholds for the Congress. Rahul Gandhi lost against BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Amethi.

Taking to social media X, Congress announced their decision to field Rahul Gandhi from Raebareli and KL Sharma from Amethi, which was made at a meeting of the Central Election Committee.

Today is the final day to submit nominations for the  fifth phase of the election, which is scheduled to held on May 20th. Both the candidates will file nominations today. 

Priyanka Gandhi praised KL Sharma shortly after the nominees for the two prestigious seats were revealed, stating that his loyalty and dedication will help him win the election.

She wrote X, her family has known Kishori Lal Sharma ji for a very long time. His dedication to serving the public good serves as an example. The Congress Party’s decision to nominate Shri Kishori Lal Ji as an Amethi candidate is a matter of joy. She also said Kishori Lal Sharma will undoubtedly win this election because of his devotion to duty and loyalty.

However, given Union minister Smriti Irani’s success in Amethi in 2019, there is worry that Rahul Gandhi’s change of seat could work in the BJP’s favour. With her impending victory, the senior BJP leader has said that the Congress’s delay was due to cold feet and is prepared to defend the seat.

KL Sharma will contest against Smriti Irani in Amethi in the Lok Sabha elections. While, Rahul Gandhi’s opponent would be Dinesh Pratap Singh, who was named by BJP for Raebareli on Thursday. Singh lost the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to former Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi  is scheduled to hold a roadshow in Raebareli after filing of nominations. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will also visit Raebareli today.

Continue Reading

Trending

-->

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com