Lalit Jha – the alleged “mastermind” behind the Parliament security breach – and his co-accused wanted to create “anarchy” in the country to compel the government to meet their demands, Delhi Police told a court on Friday. According to sources, the police will seek Parliamentary approval to recreate the incident that took place on the anniversary of the 2001 attack.

Five individuals have been arrested so far for the major security breach at Parliament involving smoke bombs and protests. While Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D were arrested from inside the Lok Sabha chamber,  Neelam Devi and Amol Shinde were detained outside the Parliament building.

Delhi Police told the Patiala House court that Jha admitted that he met with the other accused in the case several times to plan the Parliament security breach. Jha, who is from Bihar, worked as a teacher in Kolkata and was sent to seven-day police custody on Friday. 

READ | Parliament Intruder’s House Searched Day After Smoke Scare In Lok Sabha

Jha will also be interrogated to determine if the accused had any links with an enemy country or terrorist organisation. He will be taken to Rajasthan to retrace his steps as he fled to the state soon after the security breach. Jha, according to the police, threw his phone and burnt the phones of others involved in the breach. 

“After the incident, he fled to Rajasthan where he stayed for two days and returned to Delhi last night,” a Delhi Police officer said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

According to sources, Jha fled to Rajasthan’s Nagaur after the incident. Kailash and Mahesh Kumawat, who are cousins, arranged his stay there, they added. The two are yet to be arrested. 

“We are planning to approach Parliament to seek permission for recreating the crime scene inside the House and outside the Parliament building. Lalit Jha, who was arrested on Thursday, revealed during the interrogation that he had thrown his phone near the Delhi-Jaipur border and destroyed the phones of the other accused,” the police officer added. 

Jha has claimed “unemployment” as a motive behind the security breach, however, the police suspect a larger conspiracy, fueled by potential foreign funding. The police are also in the lookout for the footwear designer who crafted the shoes that concealed the smoke canisters used by the accused inside the Parliament building. 

Parliament’s CCTV footage is currently undergoing pixel-by-pixel scrutiny while mobile phone data around the scene is being collected for leads in the probe. The police also suspect a ‘Plan B’ in place had the main plan failed. 

READ | Police Explain How Sagar Sharma Smuggled Smoke Cans Into Parliament

“Jha disclosed that they wanted to create anarchy in the country so that they could compel the government to meet their demands. He took the phones (of other accused) to hide them and to destroy evidence as part of the larger conspiracy. He disclosed that he threw his phone away on his way from Jaipur to Delhi,” the police told Patiala House court.

The details of the FIR reveal a meticulously planned operation: Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D smuggled smoke canisters into the Lok Sabha chamber, concealed within custom-made shoes. These specially crafted shoes boasted hidden cavities beneath thick rubber soles, camouflaging the contraband. The two also carried pamphlets that had the picture of a fist against the backdrop of the national flag and raised slogans on the Manipur violence issue.

Simultaneously, Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi sprayed coloured gas from canisters outside the building while shouting “tanashahi nahi chalegi”.

All four are being charged under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA.

Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, a senior Supreme Court judge, retired yesterday, ending his six-year-long tenure at the court. At a farewell function organised for Justice Kaul, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud quoted poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz to bid farewell to his colleague and friend for over 47 years. 

“Veeran hai maqaida, khum-o-sagar udas hai. Tum gaye toh rooth gaye din bahar ke”, quoting a couplet of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, the Chief Justice of India said, “I first met Justice Kaul at St Stephen’s College. We were in the first batch after the Emergency and our countless conversations in the canteen and our shared love for theatre made us friends.”

Remembering his college days with Justice Kaul, the Chief Justice said, “He (Justice Kaul) contested in the student’s elections and we fully supported him. Since I was academically strong, I was tasked to prepare his manifesto. Those days, Sanjay used to have a red-coloured Standard car. One day, he met an accident and we thought we could get some sympathy votes but that didn’t happen.”

Three years later, after graduating from St Stephen’s, Justice Kaul and Chief Justice Chandrachud were batchmates at the Campus Law Centre at Delhi University where they completed their degree in law. 

“During LLB, Sanjay’s notes were famous but he never made his notes into an exercise book because he was worried that the person might not return the notes. He would ask the person which class they bunked and would give them notes for that,” the Chief Justice of India said.

“I am fortunate Justice Kaul chose law, it was not his first preference. His love for travelling wanted him to opt for the Indian Foreign Service but then Chief Justice of India BN Kirpal convinced him to go for law,” he added.

During his career as a high court judge, Justice Kaul authored several notable judgments which reflected his prudence, sensitivity and steadfast loyalty to the values of the Constitution, the Chief Justice said.

“In Maqbool Fida Husain v Raj Kumar Pandey, where M F Husain’s painting ‘Bharat Mata’ was challenged as obscene, Justice Kaul passionately defended artistic freedom,” he said.

A golf, theatre and music lover, Justice Kaul was part of several landmark judgements of the Supreme Court including those that held the right to privacy a fundamental right and upheld the Centre’s decision to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution that bestowed special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

“I had the privilege of being in the collegium with Justice Kaul. We shared our opinions with utmost candour and said no harsh words, though we had strong opinions we resolved the issues with high standards of cordiality. I will cherish the memories shared on and off the judge’s bench,” he added.

Justice Sanjay Kaul was also part of a five-judge constitution bench which refused to accord legal recognition to same-sex marriage, saying there was “no unqualified right” to marriage except for those that are recognised by law.

The Indian Navy is closely monitoring a developing hijack situation of a ship which appears to now be heading to the coastline of Somalia. The Indian warship responded to a distress call from the cargo carrier MV Ruen, a Maltese vessel in the Arabian Sea.

An Indian Naval Maritime Patrol Aircraft and warship on Anti Piracy patrol has been immediately diverted.

“The vessel, with 18 crew onboard, had sent a Mayday message on UKMTO portal, PM 14 Dec 23, indicating boarding by approx six unknown personnel. Responding swiftly to the developing situation, Indian Navy diverted its Naval Maritime Patrol aircraft undertaking surveillance in the area and its warship on Anti Piracy patrol in the Gulf Aden to locate & assist MV Ruen,” Indian Navy said in a statement.

A Navy warship has intercepted the hijacked vessel and is closely monitoring its movement.

“The Indian Navy remains committed to being a first responder in the region and ensuring safety of merchant shipping, along with international partners and friendly foreign countries,” the statement said.

#IndianNavy‘s Mission Deployed platforms respond to #hijacking in the #ArabianSea#MayDay msg from Malta Flagged Vessel MV Ruen on @UK_MTO portal – boarding by unknown personnel

Indian Naval Maritime Patrol Aircraft & warship on #AntiPiracy patrol immediately diverted@EUNAVFOR pic.twitter.com/mtXqjytSfF

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 16, 2023

The ship, MV Reun, was heading towards Somalia when it was attacked on Thursday. UK’s Marine Trade Operations said that the crew has lost control of the vessel. 

The capture of the vessel appears to be the first major attack by Somali pirates since 2017, following counter-piracy efforts by several countries stopped such seizures in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

The UK Marine body has advised ships to remain on alert while travelling in the Arabian Sea near Somalia as a piracy action group is active in the area.

“Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity,” the warning said.