Parliament Security Breach: Delhi Police Opposes Neelam Azad’s Bail Plea

On Tuesday, Delhi Police opposed Neelam Azad’s bail application, alleging that she was involved in “disrupting the sovereignty and integrity” of India.

Additional Sessions. Judge Hardeep Kaur reserved the order on the application for January 18, claiming that Azad was no longer needed for investigation and that “no purpose will be served by keeping her in custody any longer.”

The police opposed the application, claiming that the investigation was still in its early stages and that granting bail to the accused would “hampered, hindered, obstructed” it.

“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 a life sentence or the death penalty.

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

Also read: Kochi Gears Up As Shipbuilding Hub As PM Set To Dedicate New Projects

He stated that there was “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 went on to say.

He also claimed that the accused are powerful and influential and that releasing them on bail would be detrimental to the investigating agency.

“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.

Also read: Kochi Gears Up As Shipbuilding Hub As PM Set To Dedicate New Projects

He added that there are reasonable grounds against the accused that negate the enlargement of bail because the investigation is still ongoing.

The Delhi Police urged the judge to dismiss the current bail application as “devoid of merits of the case in the interest of justice.”

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, releasing yellow petrol canisters and shouting slogans before being 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.

Source: PTI