Scared of Opposition, UP govt takes ‘corrective’ step

The day the Opposition raised questions about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s statement in the Monsoon session over recovery of suspicious white powder in the state Assembly claiming it to be an “explosive” strong enough to blow off Vidhan Bhawan, the Uttar Pradesh Government silently gave the sack order to the officer who had identified that powder as explosive. On Tuesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna declared that the director of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Lucknow, Dr Shyam Bihari Upadhyay, and officer Raghvendra Yadav have been sacked.

Was it a coincidence or just a design? The questions making the round is why the government did not act for three months after suspending the Director of Forensic Science Laboratory in Lucknow, Dr Shyam Bihari Upadhaya, after it became clear that he had given a false report claiming the white powder to be a plastic explosive. He was suspended in September.

“Do not you see something fishy in this? The day we raised this issue, the government has sacked the officer who had given a false report. Why was action not taken against him earlier? Why was the government waiting so long,” Rajendra Chaudhry, a law maker of SP asked.

Highly placed sources said that when the government came to know on Monday evening that the Opposition would raise this issue in Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday, it acted fast and asked Principal Secretary (Home) to take action against the guilty. In a jiffy, the Home secretary issued an order, announcing voluntary retirement of the officers.

In the afternoon, Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar issued the sack orders for both the officers on the directive of Governor Ram Naik, who enjoys powers under section 56(C) of the Fundamental Rules.

“Dr Shyam Bihari Upadhyay, director, Forensic Science Lab and scientific officer Raghvendra Yadav have been compulsorily retired today (Tuesday) after the competent authority approved the recommendations of the screening committee,” said Kumar.

He said that both the officials were given VRS from the day of their suspension and given three months’ salary and allowances.

Kumar said Dr Upadhyay had been first suspended and later given VRS for various charges, including providing incomplete and incorrect information.

“Dr Upadhyaya conducted forensic test of the seized substance powder by using an expired explosive detection kit and misguided senior officials of the government,” he said.

Earlier, the Opposition created a ruckus in the state Assembly over the issue of recovery of white powder from the House. This powder was found under the seat of an SP MLA. The recovery of white substance was widely publicised, following which the state police and Vidhan Sabha security cancelled all entry passes and even started frisking the legislators.

CM Yogi Adityanath had himself announced in the House the recovery of PETN explosive which was later found to be a cheap washing powder used for cleaning the wooden desk of the House.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), too, joined the probe but the controversy was set to rest after Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Hyderabad reported that the seized substance was not explosive, but silicon oxide (quartz).