New Delhi, Dec 12: Following a security breach in Parliament, sources from the Delhi Police report that they have compiled concrete evidence and built a strong case against the six accused individuals.
The incident took place on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, December 13, 2023, leading to the accused being charged under the strict Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
While the trial has not yet commenced, the investigation by the Delhi Police is ongoing. However, officials assert they possess ample evidence against the suspects, who were reportedly led by Manoranjan D., a resident of Karnataka.
The accused executed a coordinated gas attack during the Zero Hour by releasing colorful vapors from canisters both inside and outside the Parliament building.
Manoranjan and Sagar Sharma descended into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery and deployed canisters that emitted a yellow gas within the House.
Simultaneously, Amol Shinde and Neelam Azad sprayed colored gases from canisters positioned outside the Parliament grounds, chanting “tanashahi nahi chalegi (dictatorship will not be tolerated).”
The group members Manoranjan, Sharma, Shinde, and Azad were apprehended on the same day, soon after the incident; Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat were taken into custody on December 15 and December 16, respectively.
An official source indicates that one primary and two supplementary chargesheets have been submitted against the six accused, who are currently held in Tihar jail.
Charges have been brought against them under sections 16 and 18 of the UAPA and relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code as per the Delhi Police’s anti-terror unit, Special Cell.
“The forensic evidence provided against the accused is adequate to establish their guilt, but the investigation is ongoing as some reports from the Forensic Sciences Laboratory (FSL) are still pending,” an official source stated.
According to the major chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police in court in June, the accused aimed to undermine India’s democracy, obtain immediate international notoriety, seize power, and achieve enormous wealth and recognition by attacking the Parliament, seen as the “very symbol of democracy.”
The ongoing police investigation has, so far, dismissed any links to other groups or organizations regarding the security breach.
The accused initially connected over social media and spent nearly two years plotting their actions before executing the plan last year. As per the chargesheet, their first face-to-face meeting occurred in February 2022 in Mysuru, as noted by a source.
Citing the chargesheet, another source revealed that driven by “ultra Maoist-inspired ideology,” Manoranjan sought to target the Parliament building to garner immediate and prolonged attention.
The source further mentioned that the accused aimed to convey a broader message that “Indian democracy is ineffective and requires replacement.”
In the meantime, the Delhi Police remains vigilant during the ongoing winter session of Parliament. They have collaborated with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel stationed around the Parliament complex to establish additional barricades surrounding the area. (PTI)
