After a major security breach in Parliament on Wednesday (December 13), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had ordered an investigation.
MHA has posted on X, “On request from Lok Sabha Secretariat, MHA has ordered an inquiry of parliament security breach incident. An Enquiry Committee has been set up under Anish Dayal Singh, DG, CRPF, with members from other security agencies and experts. The Enquiry Committee will investigate the reasons for the breach in the security of Parliament, identify lapses, and recommend further action. The Committee will submit its report with recommendations, including suggestions on improving security in Parliament, at the earliest.”
Enquiry Committee will investigate into the reasons for breach in security of Parliament, identify lapses and recommend further action. The Committee will submit its report with recommendations, including suggestions on improving security in Parliament, at the earliest. (2/2)
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) December 13, 2023
Following this, the Delhi Police registered a case against the accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). A police team reached the house in Gurugram earlier in the day, where all four accused reportedly stayed briefly before the incident. The officials said the case has been registered under 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) and UAPA sections 16 and 18 at the Parliament Street police station.
Speaking on the arrests of the suspects in connection with the Parliament security breach, Varun Dahiya, Gurugram Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), said, “The suspects have been detained and taken for further questioning. The police and agencies in Delhi are investigating the matter because it is related to the national capital. Gurugram police will provide all help and assistance to the Delhi police for the case and stringent action will be taken against the accused in the matter,” said the official.
#WATCH | Gurugram: On the arrest of four suspects in connection with the Parliament security breach, Varun Dahiya, Gurugram ACP (Crime) says, "Investigation is going on in the matter and those who are accused, action will be taken against them…" pic.twitter.com/xFDFEtMM6T
— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2023
Last night, the Delhi Police detained a husband and wife, Vishal Sharma alias Vicky and Vrinda Sharma in connection with the case. Reports say that all the accused persons used to meet at Vishal’s house in Gurugram to hatch the conspiracy.
“Delhi Police have detained Vicky and his wife. They are investigating it. We are in touch with Delhi Police and if they ask for any information, we will share the details with them,” added the ACP.
Based on the initial investigation, the police said that the main conspirator of the security breach was someone else. Police added that the accused had conducted the recce of the parliament beforehand.
Police sources mentioned that all accused were associated with a social media page ‘Bhagat Singh Fan Club.’ “Everyone met in Mysore about one and a half years ago. Sagar came from Lucknow in July but could not enter the Parliament House. On December 10, one by one, everyone reached Delhi from their respective states. They gathered near India Gate, where coloured crackers were distributed to everyone,” sources stated.
Notably, Delhi Police’s Special Cell has nabbed the fifth suspect in the case. Reportedly, there are seven accused in the case with six arrested and one identified as Lalit Jha is absconding.
The names of the arrested persons so far are as follows: Sagar Sharma, Manoranjan Deverajegowda, Neelam Singh, Amol Shinde, Vishal Sharma alias Vicky and his wife Vrinda. Another accused Lalit Jha reportedly took the phones of all others and managed to flee.
The suspects met in Chandigarh, where they devised the plan both inside and outside the Parliament House, News18 reported citing a Special Cell source. They met at a Chandigarh protest over the Bhagat Singh Airport problem, and they then started getting together frequently at Vishal’s Gurugram home. Late last night, Vishal and his spouse, Vrinda Sharma, were detained. Meanwhile, the Special Cell team is searching for the absconding accused Lalit Jha.
Jha uploaded a video of the protest outside Parliament, with Neelam and Shinde releasing colored smoke from the canisters, after the security breach.
Speaking about the motive of perpetrators, the police said, “During questioning, they claimed that they were not happy with the working style of the current government and wanted to send a message to the country related to Manipur, the farmers’ protest and inflation. They claimed that they wanted to send a message just like their idol, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, and decided to go to Parliament.”
Indian Express reported citing a Special Cell source that accused Manoranjan recently coordinated with his local Member of Parliament, Pratap Simha, and his personal staff to obtain a visitor’s pass for December 14. On Tuesday, he received a call from the official staff asking him to pick up his pass, which was scheduled for December 13 instead. They arrived at Parliament on Wednesday morning after leaving accused Vicky’s home in a radio cab. Manoranjan and Sharma arrived at Parliament and entered, while Jha, Neelam, and Shinde waited outside.
As reported earlier, on December 13th, in a major security breach in the Parliament, two men jumped into the Lok Sabha well from the visitors’ gallery while the proceedings were ongoing. A video from the Lok Sabha shows the members of Parliament assaulting one of the two perpetrators who burst into the chamber during proceedings and tossed canisters emitting yellow smoke. The MPs can be seen plucking the hairs of the intruder, hurling shoes at him, and landing punches at him before encircling him.
