Forensic Lab director suspended for terming harmless powder as plastic explosive

Uttar Pradesh government on Monday suspended the director of the Forensic Science Laboratory Shyam Bihari Upadhyaya for terming silicon oxide, a food additive, which was found inside the state assembly a few days back, as a dangerous plastic explosive.
 
Upadhyaya, according to the sources here, had conducted tests on the powder recovered from under the seat of an MLA, with an ''expired'' kit.
 
The FSL director had then said that the powder was PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate), a dangerous plastic explosive.
 
Subsequent tests at a central forensic laboratory, however, revealed that the powder was silicon oxide.

The initial report from the Lucknow FSL prompted chief minister Yogi Adityanath to express serious concern over the “slack security” in the House and termed it a “conspiracy” which could be connected to terrorism.

He had also declared then that the probe into the matter would be handed over to the NIA.

Vidhan sabha speaker Hriday Narain Dixit had also taken note of the incident and had cancelled all passes except those of the MLAs and the employees.
 
The FSL report caused a huge embarrassment to the state government.