Responding to reports questioning its claim, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday clarified that the mysterious substance found last week under a chair in the State Assembly was indeed a deadly explosive, pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN).
The State Home Ministry, a department directly under the control of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, issued the clarification after some reports suggested that the substance recovered from the Assembly was not an explosive.
Some media outlets on Monday had reported, relying on sources, that tests conducted at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Agra had indicated that the substance was not PETN.
The State government has stood by its stand and said that the “preliminary test conducted using explosive detection kit” tested positive for PETN at the Lucknow FSL.
The laboratory in the state capital in its report on July 14 had found the substance as “water insoluble” and that “different reagents confirm the presence of a nitrate.”
Sample not sent to Agra
It also said that samples of the substance were not sent to Agra for testing in the first place.
“It is to clarify that no sample of the substance has been sent to FSL Agra as they do not have the machines/wherewithal to conduct the requisite tests,” the UP Home Ministry said.
This appeared to contradict the information on the police website which states that “cases related to explosives are examined at Agra FSL only.”
Final report by July 20
The government also said that two confirmatory tests are still being conducted at FSL Lucknow. Their report is likely to be out by Thursday.
A major controversy was created on July 14 when Mr. Adityanath informed the U.P. Assembly that a mysterious packet discovered under a bench in the House two days earlier was identified as PETN by forensic tests.
Mr. Adityanath, while alleging a “terrorist conspiracy”, promptly called for a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
With the U.P. Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) probing the case, security has been beefed up at the Assembly.
As a security measure, the government has cancelled the vehicle passes of more than 700 former legislators and plans to conduct police verification of all staff working in the Assembly.
The ATS has already recorded the statements of 15 officials and staff members who were on duty in the House on the day the packet was found. The ATS questioned one assistant Marshall, 4 engineers, 2 security personnel, one AC operator, and seven grade-4 staff members.
It has also gathered all the footage from the 23 CCTV devices installed in the Assembly.