Parliament security breach: Police moves Delhi HC against Trial Court order directing it to supply FIR Copy to Neelam Azad

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Friday moved to Delhi High Court challenging the trial court order directing it to supply a copy of the FIR to one of the accused Neelam Azad in connection with the Parliament security breach case. Police through counsel mentioned the matter before the bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan also comprising Justice Mini Pushkarna for urgent listing of the matter. Noted the submissions the court allowed to hear this matter today itself post lunch sessions.

The Patiala House Court on Thursday allowed an application moved by one of the accused Neelam Azad's family seeking a supply of a copy of FIR registration under various sections of IPC and UAPA. The court also allowed plea seeking court direction to Delhi Police to allow Neelam's Lawyer to meet for legal advice during the custodial remand period.

Additional Sessions Judge Dr Hardeep Kaur had said the concerned Investigation Officer is directed to furnish the copy of the present FIR to the applicant/accused as per law. The court also said, considering the totality of circumstances, this Court is of the considered view that the applicant/accused is entitled as a matter right to legal assistance and the right is available to her even when she is in police custody.

In order to have an effective and meaningful interaction between the applicant/accused and her counsel, it is hereby directed that on every alternate day, a 15-minute interaction of the applicant/accused Neelam with her counsel, as mentioned in the vakalatnama, be arranged within the visible range of the IO of the present case but outside his audible range. In case, if the meeting cannot be arranged on that day, then the meeting can be postponed to the next available date, further said the Court.

Neelam's counsel advocate Suresh Kumar Chaudhary appeared before the concerned Judge and said family and lawyers should be provided with the FIR it is a constitutional right and also allowed us to meet with Neelam. The plea stated that on December 15, 2023, a family of the accused with their advocate visited Police station Sansad Marg, New Delhi to get a copy of the FIR and to meet with the accused.

"When we had words with the investigating officer and requested him to provide a copy of the FIR to a family member of the accused and meet accused Neelam the officer denied to grant such permission and straight forward said to take an order from the court to get the copy of FIR and meeting with accused," the plea stated. It is, therefore, most respectfully prayed to this court in the interest of justice to kindly grant the permission to get the copy of FIR as well as the meeting with accused Neelam or any further relief may kindly be granted, stated the application copy.

The Patiala House Court on Thursday has also extended the custodial remand of four accused individuals, Manoranjan, Neelam, Sagar, and Anmol, to the Special Cell of Delhi Police for 15 more days until January 5, 2024, in the Parliament security breach case. The case involves a security breach that occurred on December 13, when two youths jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber during Zero Hour, setting off smoke cans and raising slogans.

The probe earlier revealed further that two pairs of shoes were made on a special order in Lucknow, as the accused learned that the shoes of visitors to the new Parliament were not checked and they could hide their smoke cans under their footwear, sources said.