Parliament security breach: Accused Neelam Azad moves Delhi HC seeking immediate release

Parliament security breach accused Neelam Azad moved the Delhi High Court on Wednesday seeking immediate release.

Azad challenged the legality of the December 21 remand order. She said in her plea that she wasn’t allowed to consult a legal practitioner of her choice to defend her during the proceeding of the remand and was only provided to her 29 hours after her arrest.

Azad, one of the six arrested by the police over the security breach in the Lok Sabha, was staying in Hisar for higher studies.

Neelam Azad, a 37-year-old woman from Ghaso Khurd village was reportedly detained along with wrestler Sakshi Malik’s mother and farmer leader Sikkim Nain during famers’ protests.

Speaking about Neelam’s arrest, her brother Ramniwas told PTI, “I got a call from my elder brother to switch on the TV immediately. He told me that Neelam was arrested in Delhi.”

“Her certificate of Haryana Teachers Eligibility Test had expired. I asked her to go to Hisar and get coaching for the same,” her brother said.

Ramniwas said his sister, who successfully passed the National Eligibility Test (NET), came to the village a couple of days ago. However, during her visit, she did not discuss the Parliament protest. Neelam’s mother said, “I spoke to my daughter this morning and she asked me to regularly take my medicines. We were not aware that she had gone to Delhi.”

“I’m uncertain about why she took this action. Perhaps she did it with the intention of securing a job,” she added.

Azad had gone to Hisar 5-6 months ago to prepare for the Haryana civil services examination.

Over six months before her arrest, Azad, who was jobless, was diligently preparing for competitive examinations while residing at a paying guest accommodation in Delhi. Azad belongs to the Kumhar community, and her father works as a confectioner. Additionally, both of her brothers are involved in selling milk in the village.