New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday sent Lalit Jha, arrested in the Parliament security breach case, to 7-day police custody for his sustained custodial interrogation.
Special Judge Hardeep Kaur remanded Jha in Delhi police's custody after the public prosecutor said he was the mastermind of the incident and was required to be questioned to unearth the entire conspiracy.
The court passed the order on an application filed by the city police which sought his custody for 15 days.
The police on Thursday arrested Lalit Mohan Jha, the key conspirator of the Parliament attack after he surrendered at Kartavya Path Police station. Police sources said Lalit came to the station on Thursday evening where he was arrested and handed over to the Special Cell.
Police have filed terrorism charges under the stringent UAPA against four people arrested after two of them jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber and set off smoke canisters in a major security breach inside Parliament that also led to the suspension of eight Delhi Police personnel.
Police on Wednesday said that six people were involved in the sensational incident that coincided with the 22nd anniversary of the terror attack on Parliament that left nine people dead. Vishal Sharma alias Vickey, in whose house the accused stayed in Gurugram before reaching Parliament, is still under detention.
The sources said the role of two more persons has also surfaced during investigations, adding all the accused did everything as part of their foolproof plan.
The four arrested persons-- Sagar Sharma (26), Manoranjan D (34), Amol Shinde (25) and Neelam Devi (37) -- were charged under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA besides sections of the Indian Penal Code(IPC). Read More: Onmanorama Explains | Parliament security breach: Who are the accused? How the plan unfolded?
Offences punishable under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act(UAPA) are non-bailable. The case against the four 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.
A Delhi court 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.
Influenced by Bhagat Singh
Influenced by revolutionary Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Lalit, a resident of Kolkata and teacher by profession, and the other five accused were highly motivated to commit an act which could draw the country's attention, police sources said. The sources said all six joined a Bhagat Singh fan page on Facebook after coming in touch with each other on social media.
The sources claimed that 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.
"They had the same ideology and hence decided to give a message to the government," the sources said.
During the hearing of arguments, the Delhi police accused the four of indulging in an act of terrorism and said they tried to incite fear. 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 the 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.
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 the same answers to the investigation team.
The incident
Sagar and Manoranjan jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released coloured smoke from canisters and shouted slogans causing panic before being overpowered by some MPs. Around the same time at 1.01 pm, Amol and Neelam sprayed coloured smoke from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside Parliament premises.
(With PTI inputs.)
