Disha Ravi granted bail by Delhi court in 'toolkit' case
A Delhi court today granted bail to 22-year-old climate activist - Disha Ravi - in connection with the farmers' protest-related "toolkit" case, which is being investigated by the Delhi Police. The order was passed on Tuesday by Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana after it was reserved last week. Ravi was arrested by the Delhi Police earlier this month from Bengaluru. Here are more details.
The bail has been granted subject to two sureties of Rs. 1 lakh each, Bar & Bench reports. Appearing for Ravi, advocate Sidharth Agarwal had sought bail arguing that she has no links with the Khalistan movement and her cause is limited to environment and agriculture. He further said that no case of sedition or incitement of violence can be made out against Ravi.
"If the offense is that I protested peacefully, I'm guilty. If the offense is that I advertised about this peaceful protest, I'm guilty. If this is the parameter, I'm definitely guilty (sic)," Agarwal said in the court, LiveLaw reports.
The Delhi Police, on the other hand, had opposed Ravi's release on the apprehension of tampering of evidence. The prosecution, comprising ASG SV Raju and Additional Public Prosecutor Irfan Ahmed, argued that Ravi and other accused conspired with pro-Khalistani organizations with an aim to defame India. It was further alleged that Ravi shared the toolkit - a Google document - with activist Greta Thunberg.
Ravi was arrested on February 13 from her Bengaluru home for allegedly editing the toolkit document related to the farmers' protest. The document was tweeted and later deleted by Thunberg. Based on that document, the Delhi Police has alleged an international conspiracy to malign India's image. It also claimed the document was created by Poetic Justice Foundation, a "Khalistani group."
Following her arrest, Ravi spent five days in police custody and three days in judicial remand. On Monday, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate had sent her to one-day police remand. The Delhi Police had sought a five-day custody. Earlier today, she was taken to the Delhi Police Cyber Cell to be confronted with the co-accused in the case - activists Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk.
Meanwhile, co-accused Muluk today moved a Delhi court seeking anticipatory bail. His application is likely to come up for hearing before Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana on Wednesday.
