New Delhi: Lalit Jha, the alleged mastermind behind the Parliament smoke scare, surrendered to the Delhi Police yesterday, a day after five others were arrested following the massive security breach that shocked the nation.
Lalit Jha had been missing since the incident. He is from Bihar but was working as a teacher in Kolkata, the Police said. On Thursday, he turned himself in at a Police station at Kartavya Path near Parliament.
Jha was reportedly inspired by the legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, according to the Police. Allegedly, he shot videos of the accused deploying smoke canisters outside the Parliament and handed over the footage to an NGO founder to ensure media coverage. The alleged mastermind was a general secretary of an NGO run by Nilaksha Aich, the founder to whom he had sent videos of the incident to ensure they were “safe.”
Lalit Jha is described as a quiet man who used to teach local students. A few years ago, he came to Burrabazar in Kolkata alone and kept a low profile; he suddenly left the area two years ago, according to a tea stall owner in the neighbourhood who spoke to reporters.
Destroyed evidence
According to sources, Lalit Jha might have burned the mobile phones of four accomplices in a bid to destroy evidence. Jha claimed to have kept the mobile phones of the two men who deployed yellow smoke canisters inside the Lok Sabha, and the man and woman who did so outside Parliament.
Police sources said that Mahesh, the man who came with Jha from Rajasthan, was supposed to join the others in staging the smoke scare outside Parliament on Dec. 13. Mahesh, who had “full knowledge” of the conspiracy, is currently being tracked down.
After the incident on Dec. 13, Jha reached Kuchaman city in Rajasthan on a bus where he met Mahesh. He too was supposed to join the group, but couldn’t make it after his mother stopped him. Investigation revealed that Mahesh, along with his cousin Kailash, took Jha to a dhaba and requested the owner for a room.
“The dhaba owner knew Mahesh and gave them a room. On Thursday morning, Jha, with their help, destroyed the phones. Mahesh and Jha then left, telling Kailash they were going to surrender before the Parliament, sources said.
Special shoes
The shoes in which the canisters were carried were reportedly custom made for Sagar Sharma in Lucknow, his hometown. The Police told the Court they intend to take him to Lucknow to identify the shop that made the shoes. The smoke canisters stuffed into the shoes were bought from Mumbai, according to the Police.
The smoke canisters used had ‘Made in China’ labels on them, and they had warnings against use in crowded or indoor areas. While not poisonous, the smoke may have harmed the health of the MPs and others, sources said. The Police had also claimed a “terrorist” angle to what they declared was a significant conspiracy.
Meanwhile, all the accused who were arrested have been sent to Police custody for seven days for questioning. Sagar Sharma and D. Manoranjan, who were caught inside the Lok Sabha and Neelam Devi and Amol Shinde — arrested outside Parliament — have to be questioned in detail, the Delhi Police contended. The Police have formalised the arrest of Lalit Jha and will be produced before the Court, seeking custody.
This post was published on December 15, 2023 7:42 pm