Farmers Movement Archive

Disha Ravi’s bail plea hearing: Key points made in court

A Delhi court on Saturday reserved its order on the bail plea moved by Bengaluru-based climate activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested by the Delhi Police on February 13 in connection with the toolkit controversy related to the farmers’ agitation. Ravi was sent to a three-day judicial custody on Friday after her five-day police custody had expired.During the hearing, the Delhi Police opposed Ravi’s bail plea. Representing the Police, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju stated that the toolkit got leaked on social media platforms and several parts of the document got deleted. He also said that the toolkit - apart from giving details of the protest against the Centre’s three new farm laws - also had information that defamed the Indian Army.The lawyer added that there was an intention to make the agitation global as Ravi had been in contact with Mo Dhaliwal and Anita Lal. Dhaliwal is the founder of the Canada-based Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF) and has been using the farmers’ movement to fuel the Khalistani movement in India, according to a police official.Here are some of the major points that were made during the hearing:1. The ASG told the court that after the toolkit got leaked in social media platforms, a cover-up operation had been executed and several parts of the document got deleted. He questioned as to why the evidence was deleted if there was no wrongdoing. Ravi was later charged with sections 201 and 204 of the Indian penal Code (IPC) - that deal with the disappearance and destruction of evidence.2. He also pointed out that the toolkit had a cheat sheet, which had details that ‘defame the Indian Army and had nothing to do with the protest against the farm laws.’ He added that Ravi was part of a global conspiracy to defame India and further create unrest in the garb of protests.3. The 22-year-old climate activist from Bengaluru prepared and shared the toolkit with those who were advocating Khalistani movement and it was not a ‘simple or innocent toolkit’, the lawyer told the court.4. With regard to the other two accused in the tool kit case - Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk - Raju said that Ravi was in touch with these people and since she and Nikita were women, Shantanu was sent to Delhi to check the execution of the toolkit.5. Reiterating on his previous point, Raju said that the purpose was to make the protest international, adding that Ravi, Shantanu and others had been in touch with Mo Dhaliwal and Anita Lal.6. Amid all these arguments, the judge questioned ASG Raju whether there was any evidence or statements were being made on the basis of conjectures.7. The judge further demanded what ‘incriminating material’ had the Police collected against Ravi to which Raju replied that the toolkit has emails, links which were removed and added that it was evident that she was aware about all this.8. The judge further sought evidence collected against Ravi in connection to the violence that broke out during the farmers’ tractor rally on Republic Day in Delhi.9. Meanwhile, Ravi’s counsel Sidharth Aggarwal told the court that she did not have any prior links with Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF) as it was founded only in 2020. He added that Ravi’s history and Geography was in no way connected to the Khalistani movement.10. Referring to the interim protection given to Shantanu, Aggarwal added that why should her client (Disha) be kept in custody and she could join the investigation as and when it is directed.(With inputs from Richa Banka)

Hindustan Times

20-02-2021

India