2023 Parliament security breach: Delhi police oppose bail of 2 accused for 'terrorising’ MPs

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Monday opposed in HC the bail pleas of two accused in the 2023 Parliament security breach case, arguing that their act of carrying inflammable material inside Parliament in smoke canisters and "terrorising the minds" of MPs cannot be condoned. HC scheduled the matter for hearing on March 17.

On the anniversary of 2001 Parliament terror attack, Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D allegedly jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from public gallery during the Zero Hour on December 13, 2023, released yellow gas from canisters and raised slogans before they were overpowered by some MPs.


Around the same time, two other accused, Amol Shinde and Neelam Azad, sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside Parliament premises. Neelam and another accused Mahesh Kumawat were granted bail by HC in July last year.

Police submitted before a bench of justices Prathiba M Singh and Sudha Jain that Manoranjan and Sagar were "lead players" in the "high-level" conspiracy, and that their actions, shown live on TV, created havoc. "There was a threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the country. They terrorised the minds of parliamentarians, the staff and those watching," said the police counsel, adding pamphlets carried by the accused contained an "open threat" to PM and they intended to "usurp power".

The counsel for Delhi Police argued if released, the accused could influence the material witnesses, who were yet to be examined, and could also abscond.

The counsel for the accused, however, argued that Delhi high court had granted bail to two co-accused in the case, after dealing with similar arguments made by the prosecution.