Parliament breach case: Delhi High Court stays supply of FIR to accused Neelam Devi

The Delhi High Court has stayed an Order of a local court which directed the Delhi Police to supply Neelam Devi, one of the six accused persons in the Parliament security breach case, a copy of the first information report.

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TODAY, the Delhi High Court stayed an Order of a local court directing Delhi police to supply a copy of the first information report (FIR) to Neelam Devi, an accused person in the Parliament security breach case.

Neelam is one of the six accused who have been charged with hatching a conspiracy to "attack" the Parliament on December 13, the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack.

On December 13, Neelam, along with three other accused persons, Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D. and Amol Dhanraj Shinde, assailed the new Parliament building.

Sagar and Manoranjan managed to sneak into the Parliament while Neelam and Amol could not gain entry and released coloured smoke from canisters and shouted slogans outside the Parliament.

The accused were reportedly attempting to repeat the 1929 feat of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and his companions.

A case under Sections 16 (punishment for terrorist act) and 18 (punishment for conspiracy, etc.) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, (UAPA) 1967 has been registered against the four of them and their two accomplices.

Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 452 (house trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restrain), 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) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 has also been invoked against them.

The background

On December 13, Sagar and Manoranjan entered the Parliament on a pass issued in the name of Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament (MPs) from Mysuru Pratap Simha.

From the visitor's gallery in Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building, they jumped onto the floor of the House during the zero hour, releasing coloured smoke from canisters.

Sagar and Manoranjan shouted slogans such as "inquilab zindabad" (long live revolution) and "Bhagat Singh amar rahe" (long live Bhagat Singh). However, they were soon overpowered by some MPs. They were thrashed by the MPs before being handed over to the police.

While Sagar and Manoranjan were inside, Neelam and Amol sprayed coloured gas and shouted the slogans "tanashahi nahi chalegi" (dictatorship will not prevail) and "Jai Bhim" outside the Parliament premises.

On December 14, a Delhi court remanded them into the custody of Delhi police for seven days.

Two more accomplices, Mahesh Kumawat and Lalit Jha, who were involved in planning the breach, were arrested over the next few days.

Jha is alleged to be the "mastermind" of the conspiracy and was sent to seven days police remand on December 15. Similarly, Kumawat was sent to seven days police remand on December 16.

Sagar, Manoranjan, Amol and Neelam were produced before a Delhi court on December 21. Yesterday, they were sent to a further fifteen-day police remand after the Delhi police asked for some more time to investigate the case.

The six persons have been inspired by Bhagat Singh, the famous Indian revolutionary who, as part of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, threw low-intensity bombs and pamphlets in the Indian Parliament (Central Legislative Assembly) on April 8, 1929.

It is alleged that the six 'conspirators' were associated with a social media page 'Bhagat Singh Fan Club'.