Parliament Security Breach: Key Accused Lalit Mohan Jha Arrested, Accused Booked Under UAPA

The Delhi Police on Thursday arrested Parliament Security Breach case key accused Lalit Mohan Jha from Delhi. 

Jha is the fifth person to be arrested in the case so far. The other four have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and have been sent to seven-days police custody by a court. 

Jha is accused of being part of the plot that shocked the Parliament on Wednesday. Two men jumped from the visitor's gallery in the Lok Sabha into the chamber and waved canisters that emitted yellow-colour gas-like substance. They also shouted slogans. They were overpowered by the MPs and were then handed to the security personnel at the Parliament premises. The stunning security breach came on the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament Attack in which terrorists killed seven and injured 18 in the Parliament premises.  

Besides Jha, the other accused held so far have been identified as Manoranjan D, Sagar Sharma, Amol Dhanraj Shinde, and Neelam Devi. While the accused Sagar and Manoranjan jumped in the chamber, the other two accused Amol and Neelam sprayed coloured smoke from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside the Parliament House.

Jha was arrested after he appeared at a Delhi police station after absconding for a day, according to a police statement shared by ANI.

The Delhi Police said in the statement that Jha came to a police station in Delhi on his own after which the police arrested him and started interrogating him.

The Delhi Police further said that Jha had gone to Rajasthan after the incident at the Parliament and returned to Delhi on his own.

"Lalit Jha reached Nagaur in Rajasthan by bus. There he met his two friends and spent the night in a hotel. When he realized that the police were searching for him, he came back to Delhi by bus...All accused yesterday entered the Parliament using visitor passes and jumped from the gallery, which resulted in the hindrance during the Parliament proceedings," said Delhi Police in a statement, as per ANI.

It Was Well-Planned Attack On Parliament: Delhi Police

The Delhi Police has termed the Wednesday's incident a "well-planned attack" on the Parliament. 

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police, the specialised counter-terrorism unit of the force, is investigating the Parliament Security Breach case. The accused have been booked under non-bailable UAPA sections 16 (punishment for terrorist act) and 18 (punishment for conspiracy, etc.) and Indian Penal Code (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), said Delhi Police sources to PTI.

The police said the accused hid the canisters in their shoes that were specially made in Lucknow.

Accused Influenced By Bhagat Singh: Sources

The accused were inspired by anti-colonial revolutionary Bhagat Singh, said sources to PTI.

On April 8, 1929, Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs and pamphlets in Delhi's Central Assembly from the visitor's gallery. The bombs were primarily made to rouse the assembly and not harm it and Singh later said that it was meant to make the colonial rulers hear the Indian voice.

Influenced by Singh, Lalit, a resident of Kolkata and teacher by profession, and the other accused were highly motivated to commit an act which could draw the country's attention, sources told PTI.

The sources further said the six accused joined a fan page for Singh on Facebook after connecting on social media.

The sources added that Amol told investigators that the accused were upset with issues like the farmers' protest, Manipur ethnic conflict, and unemployment and that was why the reason for their actions at the Parliament House.    

"They had the same ideology and hence decided to give a message to the government," said sources to PTI.