Experts from Central agencies join city FSL fire incident probe

Hyderabad: Experts from Central agencies have arrived in Hyderabad to examine the cause of the fire at the Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). Telangana DGP B Shivadhar Reddy confirmed on Tuesday that specialists from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory and the National Institute of Fire Safety Engineering, Nagpur, have joined the probe.

The DGP stated that these experts, alongside local forensic teams, are conducting a joint inspection of the site to identify the exact cause of the blaze. Results from this comprehensive inquiry are expected within a few days.

Amidst mounting rumours and political speculation suggesting the deliberate destruction of sensitive evidence, Shivadhar Reddy dismissed claims of significant data loss. He specifically clarified that allegations linking the fire to the Note-for-Vote case are completely baseless. He revealed that all files pertaining to that case were handed over to the court in 2021, long before this incident occurred. According to the DGP, not even one per cent of the case property was present at the FSL at the time of the fire. Furthermore, he clarified that reports related to the phone tapping case had already been forwarded to the relevant authorities. The materials for both high-profile cases remain in the secure custody of the court.

The DGP did acknowledge that the server room at the Nampally FSL sustained damage during the fire. However, technical experts are currently working to retrieve and verify data from the server as part of a standard protocol to ensure the integrity of digital records. He reassured the public that rigorous efforts are underway to restore and recover the affected data to maintain complete administrative transparency.