After a series of interrogations with multiple probe agencies, the four culprits arrested over the Parliament security breach on Wednesday have been charged under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), even as raids are being conducted at several places to apprehend one Lalit Jha, suspected to be the key conspirator.
Initial investigations have revealed that the main conspirator is someone else, and efforts are underway to apprehend him. However, the security agencies have not found connections with any terror group so far.
The Delhi Police has formed several teams and are moving across the country for probes at various locations, seeking cooperation from other agencies, including mobile and internet operators.
A Delhi court sent the four accused — Sagar Sharma (26), Manoranjan D (34), Amol Shinde (25), and Neelam Devi (37) — to seven days of police custody. They were presented before NIA Special Judge Hardeep Kaur by the city police who sought their custodial interrogation for 15 days.
While seeking a remand for 15 days, the Delhi Police informed the court that it was a well-planned attack on Parliament. The police mentioned that special shoes were made in Lucknow, which need to be investigated. They need to be taken to Mumbai, Mysore, and Lucknow for further investigation.
The Delhi Police further informed the court that they have added Sections 16 and 18 of the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), related to terrorism and conspiracy for terrorism, respectively, against them.
“Their rights were limited to galleries. They jumped from the (visitors) gallery into the Well, which was trespassing. They hid (smoke) canisters in their shoes,” the police said.
Vishal Sharma, alias Vickey, in whose house the accused stayed in Gurugram before reaching Parliament, is still under detention. According to sources, the role of two more persons has also surfaced during the investigation, adding that all the accused did everything as part of their foolproof plan.
The police have registered a case under UAPA sections 16 (punishment for a 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 a public servant in the discharge of public functions), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty) at the Parliament Street police station. Offenses punishable under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act are non-bailable.
Sources said the medical examinations of all four arrested individuals-Sagar Sharma (26), Manoranjan D (34), Amol Shinde (25), and Neelam Devi (37)-were conducted at midnight by a team of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
All four accused were interrogated at the Diplomatic Security Force’s office located at Chanakyapuri. Initially, Neelam and Amol were taken to Parliament Street Police station, and later, they were shifted to the DSF office.
“It seems that they had already made preparations as to what to answer when the police interrogate them when they are caught,” police sources said.
Initial inquiries suggest the date of the security breach - December 13 - was fixed on instructions from Lalit Jha. The date was significant because it was the 22nd anniversary of an attack on the old Parliament building by Pakistan-based terror groups, in which nine died.
The stunning breach in Parliament on Wednesday was a result of at least 18 months of meticulous planning and several meetings among the accused, all of whom hailed from different states but had one common link - a social media page called the ‘Bhagat Singh Fan Club,’ they said.
Delhi Police is conducting raids to apprehend Lalit, who is a teacher by profession and is believed to be the main conspirator of the security breach. Influenced by revolutionary Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Lalit, a resident of Kolkata, and others were highly motivated to commit an act that could draw the country’s attention. Lalit later posted the video of the incident on his Instagram account and also shared it with Vishal Sharma, alias Vickey-also part of the group-soon after Neelam and Amol were detained from outside the parliament, the officer added. Lalit’s last location was traced in Neemrana on the Rajasthan-Haryana Border.
In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack on Wednesday, Sagar and Manoranjan jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released colored smoke from canisters, and shouted slogans before being overpowered by some MPs. Around the same time, Amol and Neelam sprayed colored smoke from canisters while shouting “tanashahi nahi chalegi” outside Parliament premises. Names of two organizations have also emerged in the investigation of the Special Cell, and their roles are being examined, a senior official said, adding all the accused are giving the same answers to the investigation team.
On Wednesday, Lalit came with the four others to Parliament. When they got passes for only two of them, Lalit decided to take the mobile phones of all four-Sagar, Manoranjan, Neelam, and Amol-with him. The color canisters, which were sprayed inside and outside the Parliament complex, had been brought by Amol from Kalyan, Maharashtra. Sagar and Manoranjan went inside, while Neelam and Amol stayed outside at the gate where they too opened the canisters, which emitted yellow and red smoke, the officer said.
According to sources, Lalit, Sagar, and Manoranjan had about a year ago met in Mysuru where they made a plan to barge into Parliament. They later added Neelam and Amol into the plan. Lalit took the lead and instructed Manoranjan to do a recce of all entry points of Parliament during the Monsoon Session, the official said. “In July, Manoranjan came to Delhi and went inside Parliament on a visitor pass issued in the name of an MP. There, he got to know that the frisking of shoes does not happen,” the official said.
The color canisters, which were sprayed inside and outside the Parliament complex, were brought by Amol from Kalyan, Maharashtra. Lalit’s last location was traced in Neemrana on the Rajasthan-Haryana border. Police had earlier said that all five had gathered on December 10 and stayed at Vishal Sharma’s residence in Gurugram. Police sources on Wednesday said the security breach was well-coordinated and meticulously planned. Police officials said that during interrogation, Amol told investigators they were upset with issues like the farmers’ protest, Manipur crisis, and unemployment and that was why they carried out this act. “They had the same ideology and hence decided to give a message to the government,” an official said.
