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Indian held in US for DNA theft
Scientist was charged with stealing vials having DNA, reports S Rajagopalan.
A visiting Indian scientist has been arrested in Florida on charges of stealing vials containing DNA pieces from a tuberculosis organism and computer discs containing research material.
The scientist, identified as Singh Lakshman Meena, 33, was picked up two days before he was to return to India. He had been with the University of Central Florida’s Biomolecular Science Centre in Orlando on a year-long fellowship, researching TB genes.
News of the theft of DNA vials led to an initial scare with US authorities taking the stand that the material could be a potential source of bioterrorism. But the fears were allayed by the centre’s director, Dr Pappachan E. Kolattukudy. Meena’s friends told a local TV channel that he posed no threat.
Media reports quoted Kolattukudy as saying that the vials were valuable, but they did not contain anything dangerous. In all, eight DNA vials and two computer discs were reported stolen.
Dean Mosley, a lawyer appearing on behalf of Meena, told a court in Orlando that his client was simply anxious to take his work on tuberculosis vaccine back to India. He, however, failed to do the proper paperwork for the purpose.
“This is not about any kind of terrorism or a bio-terrorist situation. This is just one scientist trying to show the university in India and the government, ‘This is what you paid for’,” Mosley said. The university authorities said that Meena stole the material and must be held responsible.
After two weeks in jail without bond, Meena has been ordered to surrender his passport and stay put in central Florida. He faces charges of intellectual property violation, petty theft and obstruction.
