House security breach: HC questions choice of venue, reserves bail order
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday reserved its decision on the bail pleas of Neelam Azad and Mahesh Kumawat, accused in the December 13, 2023, Parliament security breach, questioning why the accused chose the Parliament on that particular day for their protest when there are designated places for demonstrations in the capital.
A division bench comprising Justice Subramonium Prasad and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar heard arguments from the accused's lawyers and Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing Delhi Police, before reserving the order.
During the hearing, the bench asked, 'Why pick that date and that place, knowing it is the Parliament? Does holding a protest there not intimidate the nation?'
The accused's counsel replied that these matters should be settled during trial and argued that their actions do not amount to a terrorist act as defined under Section 15 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The court said it must decide whether the choice of place, date, and manner of the protest collectively qualifies as an offence under the UAPA.
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