Parliament security breach probe: Accused part of six WhatsApp groups named after Bhagat Singh, Azad

Police sources on Tuesday revealed that the six individuals apprehended in connection with the security breach at Parliament were members of six WhatsApp groups named after Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekar Azad.

According to PTI, citing sources familiar with the investigations, the accused and other group members regularly engaged in discussions about the thoughts and ideas of the freedom fighters, sharing related video clips.

The security breach took place on 13 December when Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour. They released yellow smoke from canisters, shouted slogans, and were subsequently overpowered by MPs.

Simultaneously, Amol Shinde and Neelam, two other individuals, sprayed coloured smoke from canisters outside Parliament premises while shouting “tanashahi nahi chalegi.”

In connection with the incident, Lalit Jha, identified as the alleged key conspirator, and Mahesh Kumawat have also been arrested by the police. All six individuals, including Jha and Kumawat, are facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

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 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 Signals 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.

With inputs from agencies