With Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announcing a probe by National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the security breach in the Assembly, a case was registsred with Hazratganj police station on Friday and an initial probe was started by sleuths of Anti-Terroists Squad.
“An FIR was lodged under sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 121A (conspiring to wage war),” infformed Additional DG (law and order) Anand Kumar
Kumar explained that three things - explosive, detonator and power pack (source of power), were needeed for an explosion. “Here only explosive has been found. Besides, 150 grams of PETN was not sufficient to cause a major explosion. A probe is on and CCTV footaged were being scanned and studied,” said the top cop.
Earlier on July 12, 150 grams of white powdery subatance ws found scattered on seat number 80 inside the Assembly by the cleaning staff. The substance was sent for testing to Forensic Sciences laboratory (lucknow) and experts confirmed it as a high quality plastic explosive PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate).
PETN is a dangerous plastic explosive available in the black market and preferred by militants as colourless crystals easily surpass security checks.
Meanwhile briefing media persons on Friday evening, IG (ATS) Aseem Arun said that the ATS has started the probe and the security has been beefed up.”
Earlier in another incident, Farhan Ahmed (20) was arrested in Deoria on Thursday night allegedly for threatening to blow up the Assembly on August 15. The arrested was pursuing a BA course from Integral University,lucknow but a year back returned to his native place. His father is a poultry farmer at Deoria.
SP Deoria, Rajiv Malhotra said that the police seized four mobile phones and the accused was being interrogated by police and intelligence officials from Delhi.
“Earlier too, Ahmed had made calls to the police claiming that some drugs were stored in a house and that a couple after eloping were holed up in his neighbourhood,” said the SP.
Ahmed told his interrogators that he called an ADG to inform about illegal mining but after the officer started questioning him about his whereabouts, he threatened to blow up the Vidhan Bhawan on August 15.