• Parliament breach: Delhi cops in Kolkata probing if more people from Bengal involved besides Lalit Jha
    Indian Express | 20 December 2023
  • A Delhi Police team in Kolkata is looking into whether any other person from West Bengal was involved in the recent Parliament security breach incident besides the key accused Lalit Mohan Jha. On the second day of their visit, the team went to Jha’s rented accommodation at Baguihati and questioned the landlord of the flat.

    Thought to be the mastermind of the security breach incident, Jha was arrested on Thursday evening after he surrendered before the police.

    Officers from the Delhi Police Special Cell visited several places in Kolkata on Tuesday in connection with the investigation, including the Eco Park police station and the BSNL office. According to police sources, the officers visited the telephone office in a bid to retrieve call records and other details from the BSNL SIM card Jha used. Sources said investigators want to duplicate the SIM card and access call records and the contacts of all people with whom he was in touch.

    Investigation had revealed that Jha had burnt the mobile phones of his associates along with co-accused Mahesh Kumawat after fleeing to Rajasthan’s Kuchaman. He had also sent a video to a few people in Kolkata and other areas instructing them to circulate the message in which he says ‘Jai Hind’ in the end. These recipients are being monitored.

    Meanwhile, the Kolkata police have assured all support to the Delhi Police. “We are aware and are monitoring it. We are providing them all necessary support,” said Commissioner of Police Vineet Goyal.

    As per local sources, Jha was at his Baguihati residence in North 24 Parganas district on December 10, three days before the Parliament incident. According to sources, his neighbours also said the same to the investigating team of the Delhi Police. They said that on the 10th, Jha had locked his house and left but no one suspected anything because he often went to his native place in Bihar with his parents.

    On Tuesday, investigators found Jha’s Baguiati hideout locked. On Monday, the officers went to a rented house at 218, Rabindra Sarani where he used to tutor students and found the place locked. When local residents were questioned, they told the police that Jha had not been to the area for many days. The house has reportedly been locked for a long time.

    The Delhi Police team in Kolkata is part of the six core Special Cell teams that are travelling across the country to gather information on all the accused arrested in the case so far.

    The Kolkata Special Task Force (STF) has also collected information about Jha’s links with groups like the Samyabadi Subhas Dal and Reservation Free India about which he used to share posts on his social media page.

    According to the Kolkata police, Jha had submitted an application on July 18, 2023 seeking permission to hold a rally in the city on July 23 under the banner of the Samyabadi Subhas Dal, which has 500 members. It also has a WhatsApp group.

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