Indian Parliament security breach: Cops recover burnt phone parts of accused in Rajasthan

Burnt phone parts of the accused involved in the Dec 13 Indian Parliament security breach were recovered from the state of Rajasthan, the news agency ANI reported on Sunday (Dec 17) citing Delhi Police sources. However, the mastermind Lalit Jha's phone was yet to be recovered. The sources told ANI that Jha destroyed five phones before arriving in Delhi, and was misleading the investigating team.

Before the security breach happened at the Lok Sabha, the four accused handed over their phones to Jha to prevent crucial details getting exposed inpolice probe.

Delhi Police probe found that mastermind Lalit Jha fled to Nagaur,Rajasthan- about 450 km from Delhi - after the incidentwhere he met Mahesh Kumawat who lodged him at a hotel in Trishangaya village wherethrew the phones of the four parliament trespassers into the flames, destroying key evidence.

As per reports,Lalit had collected the phones of the four accused. He had also shot videos of the incident and sent them to an acquaintance in West Bengal, for dissemination to media.

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The security breach in the lower house of parliament happened when two accused,Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D,jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, threw smoke canisters, and shouted anti-establishment slogans before being overpowered by lawmakers.

Outside the parliament, two other accused Neelam and Anmol protested with smoke canisters too.

Sixth accused arrested in the case

On Saturday, the Delhi Police arrested the sixth accused Mahesh Kumawat for allegedly helping Lalit escape from Delhi. He was arrested on charges of destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy, WION earlier reported. He was sentenced to seven days of police custody.

All the accused in the case were members of the now-deleted Bhagat Singh Fan Club page allegedly created by Jha.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla informed all members of parliament on Saturday that there was no link between the Dec 13 incident and the suspension of 13 lawmakers from the Lok Sabha.

"There is no association between the suspension of the Members to the incident on December 13. The suspension is purely to uphold the sanctity of the house," Birla said. His comments came after some political parties alleged that the two incidents were linked.

(With inputs from agencies)