The accused and other members of these groups would regularly discuss the thoughts and ideas of the freedom fighters.
Published Dec 19, 2023 | 5:44 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 19, 2023 | 5:45 PM
Accused Neelam outside the Parliament. (Screengrab)
The six people arrested in the Parliament security breach case were part of half a dozen WhatsApp groups named after Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekar Azad, police sources said on Tuesday, 19 December.
The accused and other members of these groups would regularly discuss the thoughts and ideas of the freedom fighters and also share related video clips, the sources privy to the investigations said.
The social media — Instagram and Facebook — posts of the accused showed that they were greatly inspired by the revolutionary leaders and therefore, decided to replicate Bhagat Singh’s act in Parliament.
Meanwhile, police have also collected from Meta the details of all the members of these WhatsApp groups as well as their chats, sources said.
According to the sources, the accused would also talk on the Signal app to plan the security breach and had met in Mysuru, Karnataka last year.
Manoranjan D, who hails from Mysuru, had borne the travel expenses of the five, an official said.
The police are trying to get duplicate sim cards of the four accused whose mobile phones were allegedly destroyed and burnt by Jha and Kumawat in Rajasthan.
On Saturday, an inquiry committee headed by Central Reserve Police Force Director General Anish Dayal Singh recreated the crime scene in the presence of officials from the Parliament Security and Delhi Police.
The committee is investigating the reasons for the breach in security and will identify lapses and recommend further action. The Delhi Police Special Cell is also probing the case under an anti-terror law.
The Delhi Police had on Monday opposed before a court an application filed by an accused arrested in the Parliament security breach case seeking a copy of the FIR, asserting the “leak” of “crucial information” at this stage can influence the investigation.
The city police made the submission before Special Judge Hardeep Kaur, who reserved for 19 December the order on the application filed by Neelam Azad.
The only woman accused arrested in the case has claimed not providing her a copy of the FIR violated her “constitutional right” as she was unaware of the charges against her.
The Delhi Police have arrested six persons so far — Sagar Sharma, Manoranjan D, Amol Shinde, Neelam Devi, Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat — for their alleged involvement in the Parliament security breach case. They have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Sagar and Manoranjan had jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour on 13 December, released yellow smoke from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by MPs.
Around the same time, Amol and Neelam released coloured smoke from canisters outside the Parliament premises and raised slogans.
Lalit, who was present outside the Parliament gate, had recorded the act on his mobile phone. He fled to Nagaur after uploading the video on social media and sharing it with his friends. Mahesh and another accused Kailash, who are cousins, allegedly arranged his stay there.
Later, Lalit and Mahesh came to Delhi and surrendered before the police.
The accused told police that they were influenced by the ideology of revolutionary Bhagat Singh and wanted to send a message to the government through their act.
They have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
(With PTI inputs)
