Delhi court grants 30-day extension to police to conclude probe in Parliament security breach case

A court on Thursday granted the Delhi Police a 30-day extension to complete its probe in the December 13, 2023 Parliament security breach case.

This is the second time that the court has given time to the Delhi Police Special Cell to conclude the probe. Earlier, in March, 45 days were granted, and now the extension is until May 25.

An application by the Delhi Police, who originally sought a 45-day extension to complete their probe, was moved before Delhi’s Patiala House Courts.

Special public prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh, representing the Delhi Police, stressed the necessity for the extension, citing pending reports and the need to question witnesses, including those from Parliament, before finalising the charge sheet.

All the six accused persons were also presented before the court as their judicial custody ended. The court extended their custody till May 25, allowing the police additional time to complete its investigation.

In March, Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur had allowed the police application but granted only 45 days against their request for an extension of three months to finish the investigation.

On March 7, the judge issued notice to six accused — Neelam Azad, Manoranjan D., Sagar Sharma, Lalit Jha, Amol Shinde and Mahesh Kumawat, on the police plea. Manoranjan, Sharma, Shinde, Jha, and Kumawat had earlier alleged that they were being tortured by the Delhi Police to admit their association with the opposition parties and were coerced into signing about 70 blank sheets.

Azad had also alleged that the police forced her to sign several blank sheets of paper.

SPP Akhand Singh had objected to the allegation, as the court recorded the submissions from both sides.

Manoranjan D. and Sharma had burst yellow smoke canisters inside the Lok Sabha chamber on December 13, the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, after jumping down from the visitors’ gallery before they were overpowered by the MPs present in the House. Azad and Shinde also burst smoke canisters and raised slogans outside the Parliament. Jha is believed to be the mastermind of the entire plan and had reportedly fled with the mobile phones of the four other accused persons.