Delhi Police file 14,000-page supplementary chargesheet in 2023 Parliament breach case

New Delhi, May 23 : The Delhi Police Special Cell has filed a nearly 14,000-page fourth supplementary chargesheet under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against the accused in the 2023 Parliament security breach case for offences related to terrorist acts, criminal conspiracy and provocation to cause riots.

The supplementary chargesheet, filed before the Patiala House Court, was taken on record during proceedings held on Thursday. According to the court order, the probe agency submitted Supplementary Chargesheet-04 comprising 13,967 pages against the accused persons.

The prosecution informed Additional Sessions Judge Amit Bansal that the supplementary chargesheet was filed under Sections 186, 353, 153, 452, 201, 34 and 120B of the IPC, along with Sections 13, 16 and 18 of the UAPA.

During the hearing, accused Neelam Prajapati alias Neelam Azad and Mahesh Kumawat appeared on bail, while accused Manoranjan D., Amol Dhanraj alias Amol, Sagar Sharma and Lalit Jha were produced physically from judicial custody.

SI Amit Bhati appeared on behalf of the Investigating Officer, ACP Dharmender and submitted the supplementary chargesheet before the court. Copies of the chargesheet were supplied to all accused persons and their counsels through a pen drive.

Counsel appearing for accused Neelam Azad and Amol Dhanraj objected to the filing of the supplementary chargesheet at the present stage, arguing before the court that filing such an extensive chargesheet while lengthy arguments on framing of charges were already underway amounted to a “gross abuse of process of law”.

The defence also sought a hard copy of the supplementary chargesheet.

The prosecution assured the court that one hard copy set would be supplied to the defence counsel on the next date of hearing. The court thereafter directed that a hard copy of the supplementary chargesheet be supplied to the concerned defence counsel and listed the matter for scrutiny of documents and further proceedings on May 29 at 2 p.m.

The latest supplementary chargesheet includes allegations relating to obstruction of public servants from discharging official duty, provoking riots, destruction of evidence and offences connected with terrorist acts under the anti-terror law UAPA.

The case pertains to the major security breach that took place inside and outside Parliament on December 13, 2023, the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack.

During the incident, accused Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D. allegedly jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery while proceedings were underway and released yellow smoke from canisters, triggering panic inside the House before being overpowered by MPs and security personnel. Simultaneously, accused Neelam Azad and Amol allegedly released coloured smoke and raised slogans outside Parliament premises.

The police had earlier alleged that Lalit Jha was the mastermind behind the conspiracy and had fled with the mobile phones of the co-accused following the incident in an attempt to destroy evidence.

The Special Cell has been investigating the alleged larger conspiracy behind the breach, including the planning, coordination and communication among the accused persons.