Published 16:38 IST, February 19th 2021
Disha Ravi denied relief, sent to 3-day judicial custody by Delhi court in toolkit case
On Friday, the Patiala House Court sent 21-year-old environmental activist Disha Ravi, accused in the toolkit case, to judicial custody for three days.
On Friday, the Patiala House Court sent 21-year-old environmental activist Disha Ravi, accused in the toolkit case, to judicial custody for three days. After being produced before the court after the expiry of her police custody, the Delhi Police sought three-day judicial custody for her. Appearing for the police, advocate Irfan Ahmed stressed that Disha had been evasive during the course of the probe. Claiming that the activist had shifted the blame to co-accused Shantanu Muluk and Nikita Jacob, he stated that the police wanted to confront her with them.
Moreover, he informed the court that Delhi Police has sent a notice to Muluk to join the investigation on February 22. On the other hand, Disha's counsel Siddharth Agarwal pointed out that the Sessions court is scheduled to hear her bail plea on Saturday. Previously, she was granted access to warm clothes, home-cooked food, books besides being allowed to meet her family and lawyer.
Disha's arrest in toolkit case
On February 3, Greta Thunberg stirred a row by posting a toolkit for people to help in the agitation against the farm laws. The 6-page document titled 'Ask India Why' consisted of detailed instructions to target the Indian government and a few Indian corporate enterprises, in the garb of the farmers' protest. After the tweet and its contents were highlighted by Republic Media Network, the environmental activist deleted it and posted an updated version of the document which is a toned-down version of the original one. However, the Delhi Police registered an FIR against the authors of the toolkit under Sections 120, 124A, 153, and 153A of the Indian Penal Code.
In connection with this, Disha Ravi was arrested by the Delhi Police on February 13 and was remanded to police custody for 5 days after being produced in front of a magistrate on Sunday. Addressing a press briefing on Monday, Delhi Police Cyber Cell Joint CP Prem Nath revealed that the "action plan" outlined in the toolkit was carried out in Delhi on January 26 resulting in 510 police personnel getting injured. Moreover, he alleged that Shantanu Muluk, Nikita Jacob and Disha Ravi are the creators of the toolkit. He also mentioned that the "action plan" in the toolkit document was executed in a "copycat manner" on January 26 resulting in violence
Claiming that incriminating evidence was also found from Disha's device, he justified the action against the 21-year-old activist citing that Jacob did not cooperate with the police. Additionally, he allayed concerns about the manner of her arrest. According to the senior official, Disha, Shantanu and Nikita Jacob participated in a Zoom meeting organised by pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation on January 11 to shape the modalities for the action plan on Republic Day. Meanwhile, Muluk and Jacob have been granted transit anticipatory bail by the Bombay High Court.
Updated 16:38 IST, February 19th 2021