Lab wrongly confirmed PETN was found in UP Assembly: State FSL chief told to retire after panel doubts integrity

A Security Drill being in progress in Uttar Pradesh Assembly Premises after some PETN powder found inside the state assembly in Lukcnow on Saturday. (Express File Photo by Vishal Srivastav)  

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday ordered the chief of the state Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to retire after a screening committee found fault with his integrity. Dr Shyam Bihari Upadhyay, the now-retired chief, was suspended in September for different charges, including submitting a report to the government that wrongly assessed a powder found under an MLA seat in the Assembly in July as the explosive PETN (Pentaerthritol Tetranitrate). A Hyderabad-based central laboratory confirmed it to be the non-explosive quartz.

“Giving incorrect information on the powder recovered from the UP Assembly was one of the reasons for giving compulsory retirement to Dr Upadhyay,” said principal secretary (home) Arvind Kumar who headed the screening committee. “There were other allegations also, including that of financial embezzlement. Dr Upadhyay was twice chargesheeted by Bihar police in different cases. He also faced allegation of changing forensic report in exchange of money. The screening committee found Dr Upadhyay’s integrity doubtful and not fit for the services.”

Since his suspension, Dr Upadhyay was attached with the office of Director General, Vigilance Establishment office, and an inquiry ordered against him. Kumar said that with his compulsory retirement, all proceedings against him will be stopped. A native of Buxar in Bihar, Dr Upadhyay had joined Forensic Science Laboratory, Patna in 2008. He was the acting director there till he joined FSL, Lucknow in October, 2010 as director. He also headed the FSL units in Agra and Ghaziabad. Meanwhile, the government also ordered the retirement of FSL Lucknow’s scientific officer.

“The committee also found FSL, Lucknow scientific officer Raghvendra Yadav fit for compulsory retirement on grounds of him getting four adverse entries. There are a few other officials on whose decision for compulsory retirement has to be taken. They would be monitored for around one to two years and then, if needed, action would be taken,” said Kumar.