Parliament breach: police claims attempted evidence destruction

New Delhi: In the case of Parliament security breach, the Delhi Police informed that it has found that the accused attempted to destroy evidence. They also said that probe teams searched the accused people's houses and recorded statements of their family members, PTI reported.

The police said that they recovered a few pieces of mobile phones on Saturday, broken and burnt. They have added IPC sections relating to the destruction of evidence to the FIR against the accused.

Sources said the Delhi Police had added more IPC sections, including Section 201 (destruction of evidence/disappearance of evidence) in the FIR registered on December 13. Police have filed terrorism charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the accused.

The evidence was found at Rajasthan's Nagaur, where the two accused stayed. The police said the two accused, Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat

intentionally tried to destroy electronic evidence.

The Delhi Police has so far arrested Sagar Sharma, Manoranjan D, Amol Shinde, Neelam Devi, Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat for their alleged involvement in the Parliament security breach case.

Two men -- Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D -- had jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow smoke from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the MPs.

Around the same time, two others -- Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi -- released coloured smoke from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside the Parliament premises.

Jha, who was present outside the gate, had recorded the act on his mobile phone. After uploading it on social media and sharing it with his friends, he went to Nagaur in Rajasthan. Kumawat and accused Kailash, who are cousins, allegedly arranged his stay there.

Later, Jha and Kumawat came to Delhi and surrendered to the police.

The sources said the role of one more suspect, who was part of the Bhagat Singh Fan Club page, has surfaced.

"Jha had sent a video to him and asked him to circulate it. He had also written 'Jai Hind' after sending the video," a source said, adding that the officials may call him for questioning soon.