News Brief

Parliament Security Breach Accused Wanted To Create "Anarchy" In The Country: Here's What You Need To Know

Swarajya StaffDec 16, 2023, 10:47 AM | Updated 10:47 AM IST
Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha


Delhi Police informed a court on Friday that Lalit Jha, the alleged mastermind behind the Parliament security breach, and his co-accused aimed to create "anarchy" within the nation to pressure the government into meeting their demands.

It is reported that the police are planning to seek approval from Parliament to reenact the incident which occurred on the anniversary of the 2001 attack on 13 December.

Thus far, five people have been apprehended in connection with the major security breach at Parliament, which included smoke bomb incidents and protests.

Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D were taken into custody within the Lok Sabha chamber, while Neelam Devi and Amol Shinde were held outside the Parliament building.

The Patiala House court was informed by Delhi Police that Jha confessed to meeting with the other suspects in the case several times to plan the Parliament security breach.

Jha, a Bihar native who was employed as a teacher in Kolkata, was remanded into police custody for seven days on Friday.

Jha initially considered organising an outdoor protest, but he felt it wouldn't have a significant impact. Therefore, he decided to adopt a more audacious plan: infiltrating Parliament.

The police reported that the suspect utilised Google to gather information. They examined old footage of Parliament's security procedures and educated themselves on secure communication techniques. To evade detection, the group chose to communicate solely through the Signal app.

Authorities will also question Jha to ascertain whether the suspect had any connections to a hostile nation or terrorist group. He will be taken to Rajasthan to retrace his steps as he fled to the state soon after the security breach.

As per the police, Jha discarded his own phone and destroyed the phones of others involved in the breach.

"After the incident, he fled to Rajasthan where he stayed for two days and returned to Delhi last night," a Delhi Police officer said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

After the Parliament security breach, Jha escaped to Nagaur in Rajasthan.


"We are planning to approach Parliament to seek permission for recreating the crime scene inside the House and outside the Parliament building. Lalit Jha, who was arrested on Thursday, revealed during the interrogation that he had thrown his phone near the Delhi-Jaipur border and destroyed the phones of the other accused," a police officer was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Jha has claimed "unemployment" as a motive behind the security breach, however, the police suspect a larger conspiracy, fueled by potential foreign funding.

In addition, the police is actively searching for the shoe designer who designed the shoes that hid the smoke canisters used by the suspect inside the Parliament building.

The CCTV footage from Parliament is presently being meticulously examined on a pixel-by-pixel basis, and mobile phone data from the surrounding area is being gathered to assist in the investigation. Additionally, the police suspect that there could have been a 'Plan B' set to be executed if the primary plan was unsuccessful.

The police informed the Patiala House court that Jha revealed their intention to create "anarchy" in the country so that they could compel the government to meet their demands.

"He took the phones (of other accused) to hide them and to destroy evidence as part of the larger conspiracy. He disclosed that he threw his phone away on his way from Jaipur to Delhi," the police told Patiala House court.

The details of the FIR reveal a meticulously planned operation: Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D smuggled smoke canisters into the Lok Sabha chamber, concealed within custom-made shoes.

These specially crafted shoes boasted hidden cavities beneath thick rubber soles, camouflaging the contraband.

The two also carried pamphlets that had the picture of a fist against the backdrop of the national flag and raised slogans on the Manipur violence issue.

At the same time, Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi discharged colored gas from canisters outside the structure, vociferously protesting with the chant, "tanashahi nahi chalegi".

All four are being charged under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA.

Following the incident, the Lok Sabha secretariat has suspended as many as eight security personnel for lapses.

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