Farmers Movement Archive

At Disha Ravi's bail plea hearing, Delhi Police says a cover-up was carried out

A Delhi court is hearing a bail application moved by climate activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested on February 13 for allegedly creating an online "toolkit" intended to help farmers protesting against government's three farm laws.Twenty-two-year-old Ravi has been accused of sedition by the Delhi Police. She was sent to three-day judicial custody on Friday after the expiry of her police custody.Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, appearing for the Delhi Police, opposed the bail plea saying that after the toolkit got leaked in the social media, a cover-up operation was carried out and many of its parts were deleted. After this, sections 201 and 204 of the Indian penal Code (IPC) - which deal with destruction of evidence - were added against the activist.The ASG also said that the toolkit had a cheatsheet which contained information which defames the Army and had nothing to do with farmers' protest."Ravi had the right to edit the toolkit and she later deleted everything. This is the working of a guilty mind," said the lawyer, adding that the toolkit was part of a "sinister design".Twenty two-year-old Ravi is part of an organisation founded by Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg.Police allege that Ravi was involved in creating and sharing an online document containing advice for protesters. Police say this document stoked the violence that took place on Republic Day last month.Late on Friday, Thunberg posted two tweets with a hashtag supporting Disha."Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavi," Thunberg said in one of her tweets.During the hearing on Friday, additional public prosecutor (APP) Irfan Ahmed told the court Ravi had been “evasive” during interrogation and shifted the blame onto the co-accused Nikita Jacob and Muluk. Ahmed also said the police want to question her again and bring her face-to-face with the co-accused in this case.Ravi's lawyer Siddharth Agarwal countered the public prosecutor, saying the case diary was not properly given.Meanwhile, the Delhi high court directed the media and the police to exercise restraint while giving out the details of the case. The order came on a Ravi's plea. The high court, however, said that there should be a balance between the right to privacy and freedom of speech of people, and sovereignty and integrity of the country.Thunberg had briefly tweeted a link to the toolkit - a Google document - earlier this month that police are investigating before replacing it with an "updated" one.The Delhi Police have sought to link the toolkit with the January 26 violence in the national capital, and to pro-Khalistani organisations.

Hindustan Times

20-02-2021

India