E-Paper
Lok Sabha Breach: Manoranjan’s ‘friend’ picked from Bagalkote
Saikrishna Jagali, a techie and son of a retired deputy superintendent of police, was picked up from his house in the district headquarters town of Bagalkote.
The Delhi police have taken into custody a man from Karnataka in connection with the security breach in Parliament, officials said on Thursday.
Saikrishna Jagali, a techie and son of a retired deputy superintendent of police, was picked up from his house at Vidyagiri in the district headquarters town of Bagalkote on Wednesday night.
Jagali, who works with a multinational company in Bengaluru, is said to be a friend of Manoranjan D, a resident of Mysuru, one of the two intruders who trespassed into the Lok Sabha chamber last week.
“A four-member team of NIA, with our help, enquired Saikrishna Jagali in a police station in Bagalkot town, took him to its custody and left for Delhi late last night for further enquiry,” Bagalkot superintendent of police (SP) Amarnath Reddy told news persons.
Saikrishna, an engineering graduate from BIT Technological Institution in Mysuru, resided in Vidyagiri in Bagalkot. He is the unmarried son of a retired deputy superintendent of police.
“During their engineering studies in 2008-09, Saikrishna shared a room in the college hostel with Manoranjan. They maintained contact even after completing their courses. Although Saikrishna has no criminal record, he was taken into custody due to his association with the accused Manoranjan,” said the Bagalkote SP.
Saikrishna’s interrogation lasted about two hours.
A Bagalkot police officer said Saikrishna shared revolutionary thoughts about changing the nation’s existing system, often discussing the ideals of Bhagat Singh with friends, citing details of the interrogation of the suspect before he was taken to Delhi.
“They also questioned Saikrishna about Manoranjan’s attitude and thoughts during college days, the nature of their current relationship, their last meeting, and if he had prior knowledge of the attackers and the Parliament attack. Following the local police notification, Saikrishna was taken to Delhi for further inquiry,” the officer added.
Saikrishna Jagali’s sister Spanda said a Delhi police team came and took her brother with them. “It is true that the Delhi Police came. My brother was interrogated. We have fully cooperated with the inquiry,” she said.
Spanda said her brother had done “nothing wrong”. “Both Manoranjan and Saikrishna Jagali were roommates. Now my brother works from home,” she added.
Six individuals, including Manoranjan and Sagar Sharma, have already been arrested. The duo jumped into the Parliament House during the winter session on December 13, creating chaos in the pre-lunch session. The CCTV footage captured their dramatic entry and evasion from capture by leaping across desks and spraying smoke.
