Parliament security breach case: Delhi Police file charge sheet in court

New Delhi, June 7: Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Friday filed its first charge sheet before a court here in its probe into the December 13, 2023 Parliament security breach case. On May 24, the court granted the police 13 days more to complete the investigation.

Over 900 page charge sheet has been filed in the Patiala House Courts, and the matter will be next taken up to decide whether to take its cognisance.

Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur has been overseeing the case and had granted the extension last time after police claimed that certain reports were awaited and digital data was voluminous.

The charge sheet has been filed against all six accused Neelam Azad, Manoranjan D., Sagar Sharma, Lalit Jha, Amol Shinde, and Mahesh Kumawat. They are currently in judicial custody.

Manoranjan D. and Sharma had burst yellow smoke canisters inside the Lok Sabha chamber on December 13, the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, after jumping down from the visitors’ gallery before they were overpowered by the MPs present in the House.

Azad and Shinde also burst smoke canisters and raised slogans outside Parliament. Jha is believed to be the mastermind of the entire plan and had reportedly fled with the mobile phones of the four other accused persons. Kumawat was also linked to the accused. Recently, Delhi Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena accorded prosecution sanction against the six accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

According to Raj Niwas officials, Delhi Police had requested their prosecution under sections 16 and 18 of UAPA from the competent authority, i.e. the L-G, who, having found sufficient material on record, granted prosecution sanction.

On December 14, 2023, the Delhi Police registered a case under sections 186, 353, 452, 153, 34, and 120B of the IPC and 13, 16, 18 UA (P) Act, at the Parliament Street Police Station on a complaint made by the security officer in the Lok Sabha.

The investigation of the case was later transferred from the Parliament Street Police Station to the Counter Intelligence Unit of the Special Cell.