LONDON: A Punjab University scientist Vishvajit Gupta was accused of “fossil fraud” by the British journal Nature.
Gupta a geologist who has written over 300 articles has been accused of “vast and intricate” schemes to taint information about the biological and geological history of the Himalayas mountain range.
His papers written in the last 25 years contained “astonishing additions” of plant and animal life never previously encountered in Asia. This carried considerable implications for the global fossil patterns.
The article by John Talent a paleontologist (a scientist dealing with life of past geological periods through a study of fossil remains) at Macquaire University in Melborn Australia, said, “Through the activities of one Indian scientist, the paleontologist literature on the Himalayas has become shot through with disinformation.
Talent presented evidence that strongly suggests Vishvajit Gupta’s
fossil did not come from the Himalayas were dug up at night in Oklahoma, New York and Morocco which are well known for such distinctive fossils of invertebrate animals.
He did not specify how Gupta got such fossils, but noted that they are available for University teaching or available from “fossil dealers, rock shops and curio countries in flea markets.
Gupta denied the allegations and said the article was motivated by “a malicious intent to take revenge (because) of a personal rivalry and professional jealous.”
Talent told of the remoteness and inaccessibility to foreigners and most Indians of the rights from which Gupta is alleged to have made his fossil discoveries.
Richard Grant a senior geologist at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington said most paleontologists familiar with the Himalayas or the type of fossils in Gupta’s
work have been skeptical’ of his work.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 28, 1989
