Four accused charged under UAPA, key conspirator held

New Delhi: Key conspirator Lalit Mohan Jha was held on Thursday evening while police have charged four others, arrested in connection with the security breach in Parliament, under the anti-terror law UAPA besides sections of the Indian Penal Code.

“Lalit Jha came to Kartavya Path Police station where he was arrested. He was handed over to Special Cell which is investigating the incident,” an officer said.

Police asserted that the concealment and smuggling of objectionable items into the Parliament suggest meticulous planning, hinting at a well-coordinated conspiracy.

Meanwhile, a Delhi court has sent the four arrested people to the city police’s custody for seven days for interrogation after they were produced before Special Judge for NIA cases Hardeep Kaur. The police had sought their custodial interrogation for 15 days.

The case against the four arrested persons— Sagar Sharma (26), Manoranjan D (34), Amol Shinde (25) and Neelam Devi (37)— was registered under UAPA sections 16 (punishment for terrorist act) and 18 (punishment for conspiracy, etc.) and IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 452 (trespass), 153 (wantonly giving provocation, with intent to cause riot), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) at the Parliament Street police station, police sources said.

During hearing of arguments, the Delhi police accused the four of indulging in an act of terrorism and said they tried to incite fear.

“It was a well planned attack on Parliament,” it said.

The police submitted that they have added Sections 16 and 18 of UAPA related to terrorism and conspiracy for terrorism respectively.

“Their right was limited to gallery. They jumped from the (visitors) gallery into the Well, which was trespass. They hid (smoke) canister in their shoes,” the police said while referring to the security breach.

The prosecution said the custodial interrogation of the four arrested people was necessary to unravel the actual motive behind the incident and find out if some other people were also involved.

“Special shoes were made in Lucknow which needs to be probed. They need to be taken to Mumbai, Mysore and Lucknow for probe,” the court was told.

While no affiliation with any specific group has been established yet, police sources reveal crucial details about the alleged perpetrators and their premeditated actions.

Sources within law enforcement suggest Lalit Jha’s potential role as the mastermind, orchestrating the breach by strategically choosing the date for the incident. Moreover, his premeditated action of collecting phones from the accused before the breach and subsequently fleeing has compounded the mystery surrounding this breach.

Names of two organisations have also emerged in the investigations by police and their roles are being examined, they said, adding all the accused are giving same answers to the investigation team.

“It seems that they had already made preparations as to what to answer when the police interrogate them when they are caught,” they said.

Investigators have uncovered a timeline of events leading up to the breach, revealing that the accused were associated with a social media page called the ‘Bhagat Singh Fan Club’. Their initial meetings occurred over a year ago in Mysore, with subsequent gatherings culminating in the attack’s planning.

During interrogation, Amol told investigators they were upset with issues like the farmers’ protest, ethnic conflict in Manipur and unemployment and that was why they carried out the act, sources claimed.

“They had the same ideology and hence decided to give a message to the government,” the sources said.

Key individuals, Sagar and Manoranjan, took the lead in arranging passes and conducting reconnaissance missions ahead of the breach. Manoranjan, having obtained access during the Budget session, conducted a thorough survey of the Parliament House. Shockingly, he discovered lapses in security, specifically regarding the inadequate inspection of shoes.

The accused congregated in Delhi on December 10 from various states, convening at Vicky’s residence in Gurugram. This gathering included Lalit Jha, who arrived later in the night.

Further details suggest that the suspects were in possession of coloured crackers, brought by one of the accused from Maharashtra. The group rendezvoused at India Gate, distributing these items before two of the accused breached security and entered the Parliament House around noon.

During interrogation, it was also revealed by the four accused that they wanted to enact revolutionary Bhagat Singh’s action of throwing bombs inside the Central Assembly during British rule in India.

Police said the accused had planned to throw pamphlets in Parliament after using the smoke bombs, adding that they had also bought tricolours.

Manoranjan D, who gained access to the Lok Sabha with an entry pass provided by BJP MP Pratap Simha, unveiled startling information about the lax security measures. He disclosed that during a visit in July, he discovered shoes were not subject to scrutiny, a revelation that holds significance as it could enable concealed items, such as canisters, to be smuggled inside.

The subsequent reaction from security personnel, demanding shoe removal at the outer gates following this revelation, underscores the seriousness of the issue.

Moreover, the police have gathered CCTV footage from the Gurugram location where the suspects resided since their arrival on December 10. Following their apprehension, the accused were interrogated at the Diplomatic Security Force’s office in Chanakyapuri. Initial detainment occurred at Parliament Street Police Station before the suspects were shifted to the DSF office.

The police are also questioning Gurugram resident Vishal Sharma and his wife as the four arrested accused stayed at Sharma’s residence on Tuesday night.

During the investigation, medical examinations of all the accused were conducted in the late hours by a team of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. The police continue to delve into this intricate web of events, striving to unravel the full extent of this breach and its underlying motives.