Lalit Mohan Jha, the alleged mastermind behind the breach of Parliament security on December 13, the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, was apprehended by Delhi Police on Thursday. He was produced before a Delhi court which sent him to seven-day police custody. He faces charges under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sections of the Indian Penal Code.
During the court proceedings, the public prosecutor, Akhand Pratap Singh, requested fifteen days of custody for Jha, but the Patiala House court judge sanctioned only seven days of police custody. The Delhi Police detained Lalit Jha after he surrendered on Thursday, ending a widespread search initiated when he absconded on Wednesday.
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Who is Lalit Mohan Jha?
Lalit Mohan Jha, originally from Bihar, used to teach in Kolkata’s Burrabazar area. He mostly kept to himself while teaching local students. The police said Jha admired freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. They claim he recorded videos of smoke canisters outside Parliament and gave them to an NGO leader for media attention.
He held a top position in an NGO led by Nilaksha Aich. Jha suddenly left Burrabazar in Kolkata two years ago, leaving a quiet impression on people who knew him.
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Expressing surprise, Lalit’s brother, Shambhu Jha, said the family was shocked. He remembered Lalit as a calm, shy person who focussed on tutoring and working with NGOs. “We don’t know how he got involved in all this. He always stayed away from trouble. He was a calm and quiet kid since childhood and was very introvert. We knew he was involved with NGOs and, apart from being a private tutor, we are really shocked to see his images on television channels,” Shambhu added, according to PTI.
Jha was part of an unregistered NGO that wanted to replace Mahatma Gandhi’s image with Netaji’s on Indian currency notes, according to Nilaksha Aich.
The news of Jha’s connection to Kolkata sparked a debate in West Bengal. There were claims linking him to a TMC leader, Tapas Roy, based on photos shared by the president of West Bengal BJP, Sukanta Majumdar.