Delhi Court extends Lalit Jha’s Police custody in Parliament Security Breach Case

New Delhi, Dec 22, 2023 – A Delhi court has extended the 14-day police custody of Lalit Jha, the alleged mastermind in the Parliament security breach case, until January 5, 2024. The decision, made by Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur, followed submissions by the Delhi Police, emphasizing Jha’s role in orchestrating the incident, destroying evidence, and conspiring in the case.

The government counsel argued that a thorough investigation is necessary to uncover the broader conspiracy behind the act. The 14-day extension aims to facilitate the production of all six accused, arrested in connection with the case, before the court after a comprehensive investigation.

The court directed the Investigating Officer to provide a copy of the FIR to one of the accused, Neelam, after hearing her application. Four other accused persons, Manoranjan D, Sagar Sharma, Neelam Verma, and Amol Shinde, previously held under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), received a 15-day police custody extension until January 5.

The Delhi Police have registered an FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and UAPA, including wantonly giving provocation, criminal conspiracy, trespass, obstructing public servants, and assault on public servants. The investigation is at a crucial stage, requiring the accused to be taken to different places to identify those behind the security breach.