Parliament security breach, 8 personnels suspended, four accused sent to 7-day police custody

 

A Delhi court on Thursday sent the four accused arrested for breaching security at the new Parliament building to the city police’s custody for seven days.

Lok Sabha secretariat suspends 8 personnel for lapses in Parliament security breach case

The accused — Manoranjan D, Sagar Sharma, Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi — were produced before Special Judge for NIA cases Hardeep Kaur by the city police, who sought their custodial interrogation for 15 days.

Amol Shinde, one of the two persons arrested for protesting outside the Parliament House during the Winter session, after being produced at the Patiala House Court, in New Delhi, on Thursday, December 14, 2023. PTI

They have been charged under anti-terror law UAPA besides various sections of Indian Penal Code.The court, however, remanded them in police custody for 7 days.

Accused Manoranjan D, Sagar Sharma, Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi produced before Special Judge for NIA cases Hardeep Kaur 

In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack, two persons — Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D — jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery, unleashed yellow coloured smoke from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by some MPs and watch and ward staff.

Around the same time, two other accused — Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi — also sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting “tanashahi nahi chalegi” outside Parliament premises.

Sagar, Manoranjan, Amol and Neelam were immediately taken into custody, while their accomplice Vishal, in whose house the accused stayed before reaching Parliament, was detained later from Gurugram. Lalit Jha, a key conspirator, is on the run. 

The Lok Sabha secretariat on Thursday suspended eight personnel for the Parliament security breach on Wednesday

Sources said the action was taken after a thorough review of the breach wherein two visitors -- Manoranjan D from Mysore and Sagar Sharma from Lucknow -- entered the Lok Sabha public gallery hiding smoke canisters probably in their shoes.

The two entered on the facilitation by BJP MP Prathap Simha from Mysore.

But the questions arise: how did they manage to carry a canister in the house; how did they overstay in Lok Sabha visitor gallery beyond the permissible time; why didn't any security person ask them to leave?

The Lok Sabha is carrying out a detailed review of security.

Secretary General Utpal Kumar on Wednesday wrote to Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla to conduct the review, which commenced on Thursday under a committee headed by the CRPF DG.