A case has been registered against the accused under multiple relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).The police have arrested five people so far in connection with the case, but Lalit Jha is still absconding.
Major security breach in Lok Sabha on Parliament attack anniversary, visitors jump from gallery, burst canisters
At least 8 security personnel have also been suspended over the attack and the home affairs ministry has launched an inquiry into the matter.
Four of the arrested have told police that their objective behind the move was to highlight Manipur unrest, unemployment and farmers’ issues.
‘Lalit Jha decided date of breach, confiscated phones’
Media reports, citing police sources, said that it was Lalit Jha who had decided on the date (December 13) to carry out the Parliament breach.
On Wednesday, Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D entered the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery. While one released a yellow-colored smoke canister, the other allegedly chanted slogans. This caused chaos and panic within the House, leading to the immediate adjournment of the session.
Neelam Azad and Amol Shinde, who used coloured smoke to protest outside Parliament, were also arrested.
The police said Lalit Jha had confiscated the phones of the four accused before the attack, and might have erased the evidence from their devices.
“Lalit Jha had called everyone for a meeting in Gurugram. Before carrying out the incident, Lalit himself took possession of the phones of the four accused and ran away,” said media reports, citing police sources. Lalit Jha was last traced to Rajasthan’s Neemrana.
Lalit Jha sent video of incident to NGO founder
Lalit Jha became a person of interest soon after he sent a video of the incident to NGO founder Nilaksha Aich, who said the accused was a member of the organisation.
Aich told police that Lalit Jha was very secretive about himself and “kept his details shady”. “He never mentioned his whereabouts or his family. I have not seen him being violent personally,” said the founder of the NGO, which works for tribal education in West Bengal’s Purulia.
“It was around 12.50pm on Wednesday, Lalit Jha asked me to see the media coverage. I did not know anything as such as I was attending college at that time. After I returned home I saw the whole coverage. He asked me to keep the video. He is not a close friend of mine, I have an NGO of mine that works with tribal development. He was a member of an organisation. I came across him in April,” Aich told ANI.
Bhagat Singh Fan Club
Police said that all the accused were associated with the social media page ‘Bhagat Singh Fan Club’ and everyone met in Mysuru about 18 months ago.
Sagar came to Delhi from Lucknow in July this year but could not get inside Parliament House, said the police. Meanwhile, Manoranjan D had reportedly attended proceedings during Budget session in the old Parliament.
On December 10, one-by-one everyone reached Delhi from their respective states. Everyone met near India Gate where colored smoke canisters were distributed, said the police. Sagar and Manoranjan hid the canisters inside their shoes so that they could pass security without being detected.
Sagar and Manoranjan were overpowered by MPs and arrested by security forces on the spot while Neelam Azad and Amol Shinde were picked up by the police from outside the House.
Vikram Sharma, the fifth arrested accused, is a resident of Gurugram and the other four stayed in his house before carrying out the breach.
(With inputs from agencies)