The Delhi High Court has scheduled the hearing of bail applications of two accused individuals in the 2023 Parliament security breach case for May 7, 2025. The case involves Neelam Azad and Manoranjan D, who were arrested following a serious security lapse inside the Parliament premises in December 2023.
A division bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar took up the matter on April 29. However, it was adjourned after a proxy counsel for the Additional Solicitor General (ASG), representing the Delhi Police, sought a week’s time to prepare.
"It is a real lecture. If ASG is interested, he should be here... This habit of the State in such cases, making excuses before constitutional courts… is not good."
— Counsel for Neelam Azad
The adjournment request faced strong opposition from Azad’s counsel, who criticized the repeated delays and described them as tactics to deny liberty to the accused. During the tense exchange, when the proxy counsel commented against receiving a "moral lecture", Azad’s lawyer asserted that the remarks were legitimate criticism of the State's conduct.
Visibly upset by the exchange, Justice Subramonium Prasad remarked:
“Enough… You have irritated us.”
The court then adjourned the matter to May 7.
Last week, during earlier proceedings, the bench had questioned the application of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the case. Referring to the use of smoke canisters by the accused, the court had remarked:
“If using smoke canister is a terrorist act, then every Holi and IPL match will also attract the offence under UAPA.”
The court further asked Delhi Police to clarify whether using non-lethal smoke canisters qualifies as a “terrorist act” under the UAPA.
The Delhi Police, while opposing Neelam Azad’s bail, argued that the accused had intended to recreate the traumatic memories of the 2001 Parliament terror attack, this time targeting the new Parliament building, which symbolizes India's democracy and strength.
The incident took place on the anniversary of the 2001 attack. During a live session of Zero Hour, two persons — Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D — jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery. They released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by Members of Parliament.
In a coordinated act, Amol Shinde and Neelam Azad reportedly released similar colored gas from canisters outside the Parliament premises while shouting slogans such as “tanashahi nahi chalegi” (dictatorship will not be tolerated).
Videos and images of the security breach circulated widely on social media, raising major concerns over the breach in Parliamentary security.
The Delhi High Court will now take up the matter on May 7, where it is expected to further examine the validity of charges under UAPA and arguments regarding bail.
Case Title: MANORANJAN D v. State (Govt. of NCT of Delhi)
