Indian Parliament security breach: Sixth person arrested as authorities expand probe net

Delhi police on Saturday (Dec 16)made the sixth arrest in the Parliament security breach case when two men jumped into the House and released coloured smoke earlier this week. Mahesh Kumawat was taken into custody today for allegedly helping the 'mastermind' Lalit Jha escape from Delhi.

Mahesh Kumawat came on his own to a police station along with Lalit Jha on Thursday (Dec 15) night. The duo was handed over to the Special Cell. Kumawat isbeing interrogated since then.

Kumawat too, like the rest of the five accused involved in the breach,was a member of the now deleted Bhagat Singh Fan Club page allegedly created by Lalit Jha.

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Kumawat was arrested on charges of destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy, according to the police.

Later during the day, he was sent to 7-day police custody.

Special Judge Hardeep Kaur remanded Kumawat in Delhi police's custody after the public prosecutor alleged that he was involved in the destruction of mobile phones of the accused.

But spotlight remains on 'mastermind' Lalit Jha

Police are also interrogating Lalit Jha, who allegedly is the 'mastermind' behind the parliament breach.

Jha hails from West Bengal, and was sent to seven-day police custody on Friday after his arrest a day before. Police claimed in Delhi's Patiala House court that he admitted that the accused met many times to hatch the conspiracy to breach Parliament security.

Om Birla writes to parliamentarians

Separately,on Saturday (Dec 16), Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla wrote a letter to all the members of Parliament to inform that there is no link between the security breach and the recent suspension of 13 MPs from the lower house.

"It is indeed unfortunate that some Members and political parties are linking the decision of the House to suspend some members from the service of the House to the incident which occurred on December 13, 2023," the speaker said in his statement.

Birla further added, "This is unwarranted. 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."