Parliament breach FIR ‘very sensitive’, can’t be shared with accused, police say as Neelam Azad’s parents seek copy

The police in their reply also stated that the investigation was underway and that the accused were either in police custody or at large. “Every information is crucial at this stage of investigation and any leakage can influence the investigation… Her meeting with any person can also influence the investigation,” they said.

The counsel of Azad’s parents, however, argued that the same court had granted a copy of the FIR to the accused in the NewsClick case, also a sensitive matter with charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act invoked.

Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur will give her order in the matter on Tuesday.

Azad’s parents argued that they had a right to get a copy of the FIR and to meet her. Their counsel further stated that the family did not know what charges had been filed against Azad.

According to their plea, Azad’s parents visited the Sansad Marg police station on Friday to get a copy of the FIR and to meet her. When they reached the office of the Special Cell, they were told that Azad was unavailable, the plea said, adding that they had to wait for five hours and were still not allowed to meet their daughter.

They also said the police had asked them to file an application in the court to get a copy of the FIR.

While two of the accused, Manoranjan D and Sagar Sharma, were arrested for jumping into the Lok Sabha hall from the visitors’ gallery and opening smoke cans, Neelam Azad and Amol Shinde were held for opening smoke canisters outside the new Parliament building on December 13.

Two others—Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat—were also arrested and produced in the court. Mahesh had allegedly contacted Jha, the key accused, and the others via a Facebook group called Bhagat Singh Fan Page.

While Jha was sent to seven-day police custody on December 15, Kumawat was sent to seven-day police custody on December 16.