Who is Lalit Mohan Jha, alleged mastermind of Parliament security breach?

Lalit Mohan Jha, a 32-year-old Kolkata-based teacher, has emerged as the alleged mastermind of the alleged security breach in the Parliament on the 22nd anniversary of 2001 Parliament attack, in New Delhi on Wednesday (December 13).

Jha reached the police station on Kartavya Path in Delhi and surrendered there on Thursday evening. He has been formally arrested and the New Delhi District Police has handed him over to the Special Cell. Sources said Jha claimed that he had visited Rajasthan's Nagaur via Neemrana through a bus and stayed at a hotel with two of his friends. However, he soon returned to Delhi when he realised that the police were looking for him. He was accompanied by one Mahesh when he reached the police station, sources said.

“Jha and Mahesh were handed over to the Counter-Intelligence Unit of the Special Cell, which is investigating the incident. Police are planning to book Mahesh and his cousin Kailash on charges of harbouring (the accused) and destroying evidence. They have sought legal opinion,” a senior police officer said.

Four persons were arrested for Wednesday afternoon’s security breach in which two men -- Sagar and Manoranjan -- smuggled in smoke bombs. Two others, Neelam Devi and Amol Shinde, who were unable to get a pass, held a protest outside the Parliament building, shouting slogans and waving smoke canisters, before they were nabbed.

Bhagat Singh connection

The common thread that linked Jha with these four persons was the fact that they were part of a Facebook page called “Fans of Bhagat Singh”. All of them met in Mysuru about 18 months back. Jha’s Instagram account has photos and quotes of Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad, Subhash Chandra Bose, and Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

Police probe revealed that it was Jha who had taken the four others to his friend Vicky’s house in Gurgaon when they reached the national capital to execute their plan three days ago. A day after his four aides were arrested in connection with the case, Jha allegedly destroyed all technical evidence, including mobile phones, before he was nabbed.

While his four aides opened smoke cans inside and outside the Parliament and were apprehended from the spot, Jha managed to escape with their ID cards and mobile phones. Jha came to Parliament with them on Wednesday. When they got only two passes, he decided to take the mobile phones of all four -- Sagar, Manoranjan, Neelam and Amol -- with him.

Delhi police Special Cell has contacted Neelaksh Aich, founder of an NGO in West Bengal, to get further leads about Jha who is stated to be part of a Kolkata-based NGO, news agency PTI reported. Soon after the security breach incident, Jha recorded a video of Neelam and Amol shouting slogans and releasing yellow-coloured smoke from canisters outside the Parliament building and sent it to Aich, the police said.

Bid to air concerns?

According to investigators, the motive of the unprecedented “smoke protest” was to highlight the growing unemployment, plight of farmers, and the situation in Manipur. The group wanted a discussion on these matters in Parliament and thought it would be help them draw attention.

Investigators also said off the record that there appeared to be no organised terror group behind the plot. In the court, though, the Delhi police earlier said the matter needs further investigation while seeking two week’s custody of the four people arrested. The accused have been charged under the anti-terror law UAPA and sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The police contended that the whole operation resembled a terror attack and questioned the motive. “Was the purpose of the incident only to express one's point or to carry out some major incident? It has to be investigated whether any terrorist organisation is involved in this entire issue,” they told the court. The court has allowed them a week’s time.