Parliament security breach: Neelam Azad’s bail plea opposed by Delhi Police

New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) Delhi Police on Tuesday opposed the bail application of Neelam Azad, arrested in connection with the Parliament security breach case, saying that she was involved in "disrupting the sovereignty and integrity" of India.

Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur reserved the order for January 18 on the application, which claimed that Azad was not required for investigation any longer and that “no purpose will be served by keeping her in custody any longer”.

The police opposed the application, claiming that the investigation was at nascent stage and that the investigation will be "hampered, hindered, obstructed" by the accused if granted bail.

“The accused persons will influence the investigation,” Special Public Prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh said, adding that the accused was involved in the offence which is punishable up to life sentence or death penalty.

“The allegations against the accused are grave, serious and heinous in nature. The accused persons are involved in disrupting the sovereignty and integrity of India,” the prosecutor claimed.

He said that there were “strong, cogent, convincing, clinching and credible material, evidence and other documents” against the accused “which disentitles her to be released on bail”.

“There are adequate, substantial and sufficient material, evidence and other documents against the present accused which shows his involvement in the offence punishable under UAPA,” he added.

He further claimed that the accused persons are powerful and influential which is detrimental to the investigating agency if released on bail.

“The nature of offence or gravity of offence and severity of punishment is also the relevant consideration at the stage of consideration of bail. The material, evidence and other documentary evidence shows her complicity in the offence and thus, disentitle her to be released on bail,” he said.

Prima facie there are reasonable grounds against the accused person which negate the enlargement on bail considering the fact that the investigation is pending, he added.

Delhi Police urged the judge to dismiss the present bail application “being devoid of merits of the case in the interest of justice”.

In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack, Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before they were overpowered by some MPs.

Around the same time, two other accused -- Amol Shinde and Azad -- sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside Parliament premises.

These four were taken into custody from the spot, while two other accused, Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat, were arrested later. All six accused are currently in judicial custody. PTI