Parliament security breach: 5th person nabbed, sources say plan hatched few days ago
New Delhi, Dec 13: The Parliament security breach on Wednesday was well-coordinated, meticulously planned and carried out by six accused, five of whom have been nabbed, police sources said on Wednesday.
Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D who were held inside the Lok Sabha chamber, and Amol Shinde and Neelam -- caught outside Parliament -- are in police custody.
Lalit and Vishal are suspected to be their accomplices. While Vishal has been detained from Gurugram, Delhi Police teams have been sent to various locations to nab Lalit, sources said.
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 being overpowered by MPs.
Around the same time, Amol Shinde and Neelam sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting slogans "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside the Parliament premises.
Police sources said the Parliament security breach was a well-planned and well-coordinated incident carried out by six people, all of whom were in contact with each other over Instagram and other social media platforms where they hatched the plan.
The accused devised the plan a few days ago and they carried out a recce before coming to Parliament on Wednesday, they said.
"Five of them stayed at Vishal's residence in Gurugram before coming to the Parliament. As per the plan, all six wanted to go inside the parliament but only two got passes," the source said.
Interrogation of Amol Shinde revealed that the six accused had known each other for the past four years through social media.
"They had the same ideology and hence decided to give a message to the government. The security agencies are trying to ascertain if they were instructed by anyone or any organisation. During interrogation, Amol said they were upset with issues like the farmers' protest, Manipur crisis, unemployment, that's why they committed this act," a police source told PTI.
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CCTVs in police stations: SC asks amicus to convene meeting on utilisation of funds
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that a meeting be convened on May 6 to deliberate on the aspect of utilisation of funds by the states on installation of CCTVs in police stations across the country.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta asked senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, who is assisting it as an amicus curiae in a suo motu matter concerning lack of functional CCTVs in police stations, to hold a meeting on May 6 with the Centre, all states and Union Territories.
"We are of the view that a meeting be convened by the amicus, as done earlier, in which the home secretary of the central government or his nominee not below the rank of joint or additional secretary and the home secretary of states/Union Territories will participate," the bench said.
The issue cropped up after the amicus flagged the aspect of utilisation of funds by the states.
Dave told the bench that in UTs, the Centre gives 100 percent funds while in hilly states, the central government gives 90 percent funding.
He said in remaining states, the Centre gives 60 percent while the rest 40 percent funding is by the respective state.
"Why don't we get responses of the states only on utilisation of funds?" the bench said.
The top court suggested that the amicus can convene a meeting with the Centre, states and UTs on the issue.
It posted the matter for hearing on May 13 and said that a report be submitted before it.
On April 7, the Centre told the top court that all issues concerning installation of CCTVs in police stations would be sorted out within two weeks.
Attorney General R Venkataramani had told the bench that he was taking stock of the issue and a lot of things were happening.
On February 26, the apex court directed the Centre and others to participate in a meeting to deliberate upon the feasibility, modalities and implementation framework of the issues, including creation of a centralised dashboard and standardisation of CCTV infrastructure in police stations.
The top court had earlier directed registration of a suo motu case over the lack of functional CCTVs in police stations after taking cognisance of a media report.
The apex court had in 2018 ordered the installation of CCTV cameras across police stations to check human rights abuses.
In December 2020, the top court directed the Centre to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment at the offices of investigating agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
It said that states and UTs should ensure that CCTV cameras were installed at every police station, at all entry and exit points, main gate, lock-ups, corridors, lobby and reception, as well as in areas outside the lock-up rooms so that no part was left uncovered.
The top court said that CCTV systems must be equipped with night vision and have audio as well as video footage.
The court made it mandatory for the Centre, states and the UTs to purchase such systems which allow storage of data for at least one year.
