New Delhi: The Delhi High Court will hear the bail request of Neelam Azad, the only woman arrested in the 2023 Parliament security breach case, on April 29. Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar will discuss her bail and that of her co-accused, Manoranjan D.
During a short hearing, the court asked the police to clarify whether using a smoke canister, which is harmless, could be classified as a serious crime under the Unlawful Activities Act (UA). This case connects to a security scare that occurred on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack. Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber and released harmless gas during a session, while other accused, Amol Shinde and Neelam Azad, sprayed colored gas outside the Parliament while shouting, “we won’t tolerate tyranny.”
The court noted that if a simple smoke canister can lead to such serious charges, then everyone might be breaking the law during Holi celebrations or cricket matches. They said, “If using this canister is considered a crime, then everyone celebrating Holi or attending IPL games could be guilty too.”
Azad’s lawyer argued that the serious Unlawful Activities Act charges did not apply in this case. This law defines terrorism as actions intended to harm India’s safety or unity, including using dangerous things to cause injury or disruption. However, the prosecution argued that this case was serious and that Azad’s actions harmed India’s integrity.
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