How Delhi Police arrested Lalit Jha, Parliament security breach ‘mastermind’?

Lalit Mohan Jha, the mastermind behind the Parliament security breach conspiracy case, was arrested by the Delhi Police after he reportedly surrendered before the Kartavya Path Police station on Thursday evening.

Lalit Jha had fled from the spot after making a video of the incident, the Delhi Police said.

In a major security breach, Sagar Sharma (26) and Manoranjan D (34) on Wednesday afternoon, jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released coloured smoke from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by some MPs. Around the same time, Amol Shinde (25) and Neelam Devi (37) sprayed coloured smoke from canisters while shouting “tanashahi nahi chalegi” outside Parliament premises.

Who is Lalit Mohan Jha and how was he arrested?

Lalit Mohan Jha is the key accused in Parliament security breach incident on Wednesday which incidentally took place on the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack.

Lalit Mohan Jha reached Nagaur in Rajasthan by bus. There he met his two friends and spent the night in a hotel. But soon, Jha realised that the police were searching for him, and he decided to come back to Delhi by bus, the Delhi Police said according to a preliminary investigation.

The Delhi police arrested Jha following a massive manhunt on Thursday. “Lalit Jha came to the police station on his own after which the police arrested him and started an interrogation,” news agency quoted the Delhi Police as saying.

The Delhi Police Special Cell has contacted Neelaksh Aish, founder of an NGO, to get further leads about, Jha who is stated to be part of a Kolkata-based NGO, news agency PTI reported.

Reports also claimed that Jha, a resident of Kolkata, is a teacher by profession.

Soon after the security breach incident, Jha recorded a video of Neelam and Amol shouting slogans and releasing yellow-coloured smoke from canisters outside the Parliament building and sent it to Aish, the police said.
Several teams of Delhi Police Special Cell were trying to nab Jha as sleuths believed that he might be among the key conspirators. A team of Delhi Police was already in Kolkata.

On Wednesday, Jha came with the four others to Parliament. When they got only two passes, he decided to take the mobile phones of all four — Sagar, Manoranjan, Neelam and Amol — with him.

Manoranjan D, Sagar Sharma, Amol Dhanraj Shinde, Neelam Devi in Police custody

On Thursday, Delhi’s Patiala House Court granted seven days custodial remand of the other four accused persons arrested in connection with the Parliament security breach matter. The police had sought their custodial interrogation for 15 days.

Sagar Sharma, Manoranjan D, Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi – were charged under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA besides sections of the Indian Penal Code(IPC). Offences punishable under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act(UAPA) are non-bailable.

What did Delhi Police say in court?

During the hearing of arguments, the Delhi Police accused the four of indulging in an act of terrorism and said they tried to incite fear. “It was a well-planned attack on Parliament,” the Delhi Police said. It submitted that it has added Sections 16 and 18 of UAPA related to terrorism and conspiracy for terrorism respectively.

The prosecution said the custodial interrogation of the accused was necessary to unravel the motive behind the incident and find out if some other people were also involved.

“Special shoes were made in Lucknow which needs to be probed. They need to be taken to Mumbai, Mysore and Lucknow for probe,” the police told the court.

Police lawyers said submitted the accused carried a pamphlet and declared Prime Minister Modi as a missing person and said the person who found him would be paid with money from the Swiss Bank. The accused persons showed the PM as a proclaimed offender.

Influenced by Bhagat Singh

Influenced by revolutionary Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Lalit and the other five accused were highly motivated to commit an act which could draw the country’s attention, police said.

The police sources said all six joined a Bhagat Singh fan page on Facebook after coming in touch with each other on social media.

During interrogation, Amol reportedly told investigators they were upset with issues like the farmers’ protest, ethnic conflict in Manipur and unemployment and that was why they carried out the act.