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dna Exclusive: The case of the missing whistleblower – Sunil Upadhyay

Upadhyay was working as a preservation officer in Indian Museum and went missing since July 3, 2014, after he pointed out corruption and irregularities that plague the Museum.

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Discrepancies have surfaced in separate reports filed by two investigating agencies filed with the apex court in the high profile case of Sunil Upadhyay – the missing whistleblower of the Indian Museum, Kolkata – a dna investigation has revealed.

While a report compiled by the West Bengal government, filed with the Supreme Court mentions that Upadhyay, had left with his passport and purse with him, the report filed by the CID, West Bengal is in total contrast.

“During enquiry it could be learnt that the missing subject Sunil Upadhyay did not take his mobile phone and laptop at the time of leaving the house and kept the phone in silent mode under his pillow. But he took his passport and purse containing ATM card and office identity card with him,” said an extract of the West Bengal affidavit, compiled by the investigating officer of the case, Charu Market police station.

On the other hand, the CID report filed with the Supreme Court mentioned, “Passport of Sunil Kumar Upadhyay of no F3189374,” on the seizure list. This report filed by the CID highlighted that Upadhyay’s passport was seized from his office at Indian Museum, Kolkata and did not flee with his passport as mentioned in the state’s affidavit. However, his ATM card and office identity card failed to find a mention in the CID’s report.

Upadhyay was working as a preservation officer in Indian Museum and went missing since July 3, 2014, after he pointed out corruption and irregularities that plague the Museum. A missing report was lodged on July 4, 2014 which was converted into an FIR only on July 19, 2014.

In August, 2014, Supreme Court heard the case after a Ghaziabad resident Krishna Mohan Upadhyay moved a habeas corpus petition filed by advocate Anirudh Sharma with the apex court. Later, in November, the Supreme Court appointed senior IPS officer Damayanti Sen (Spl IG & DIG, CID West Bengal), who had solved the Park Street gang rape case, to directly supervise the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Indian Museum preservation officer Sunil Upadhyay.

This apart, state affidavit also said that the director of Indian Museum, B Venugopal had sent an sms to Upadhyay on the day he went missing. The message was deleted by Venugopal, as a result of which the sleuths seized his phone and sent it to CSFL for examination. However, the CID’s report did not mention that the message was deleted by Venugopal and did not throw any light on the contents of the deleted message.

On several occasions, the Supreme Court has expressed dissatisfaction over the pace of the investigation

Earlier, a CAG report had revealed that standard system of purchase and acquisition of antiquities was not followed by the Indian Museum, Kolkata and raised questions as to how antiques reach auction houses like Sotheby's and Christie's. The report also highlighted irregularities in the museum and how articles of international importance were damaged in the process of transportation.

Close to a year after Upadhyay’s mysterious disappearance, two investigating agencies of the state have no clue of his whereabouts. 

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