Toolbox: Two other activists: Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk are wanted by the police.
New Delhi:
Disha Ravi, the 22-year-old activist arrested in the Toolkit case, and two other wanted activists held a Zoom meeting ahead of Republic Day to plan a social media buzz about the tractor rally, police said today from Delhi. Strongly criticized by celebrities and opposition parties for Disha Ravi’s arrest, police met with the media this afternoon about the case, brought up after Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg shared the toolkit and helped call the world’s attention on the farmers’ protest.
The other two activists, Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk, are wanted by the police. Court orders with non-bail charges are against them. Nikita Jacob has turned to the Bombay High Court to seek protection from arrest for four weeks.
Police said Puneet, a woman based in Canada, had put Nikita Jacob, Disha Ravi and Shantanu in contact with the Poetic Justice Foundation, an organization with ties to Khalistani. They had a zoom meeting on January 11th.
Yesterday, the police alleged that Disha Ravi was a key conspirator and, in an attempt to revive a Khalistani group, prepared and disseminated the Toolkit. “I did not make the Toolbox. We wanted to support farmers. I edited two lines on February 3,” Disha Ravi had told the court.
Today, police said evidence against Disha Ravi was found from his cell phone data. “Based on the information on Disha’s phone and the fact that Nikita ran away, we arrested Disha,” an officer said.
Police said Disha Ravi, Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk had created the Toolkit and shared it with others for editing. Shantanu Muluk’s email account is the owner of the Google doc toolkit, police added.
Regarding allegations that Disha Ravi, a university graduate from Bengaluru, was arrested and taken to Delhi without the knowledge of her parents, the police said that “all guidelines were followed”.
“Disha was arrested in the presence of her mother, local police SHO and an officer,” said an officer.
Disha Ravi, arrested on charges of sedition and conspiracy, was presented yesterday in a Delhi court without any lawyer to represent her. She has been sent to police custody for five days.
With many comments about the fact that she had to represent herself, the police said that the activist was provided legal assistance and that if she defended her own case in court, it had nothing to do with the police.
Lead attorney Rebecca John tweeted alleging “shocking abdication of judicial duties” by the magistrate at the Patiala House court in Delhi.
“Deeply disappointed by the conduct of the magistrate on duty … who sentenced a young woman to five days in police custody, without first ensuring that she was being represented by a lawyer. The magistrates must take their pretrial detention duties seriously and ensure that the mandate of Article 22 of the constitution is scrupulously followed, “he said. If the defendant was not represented by an attorney at the time of the hearing, the magistrate should have waited until her attorney arrived or, alternatively, provided legal aid, Ms. John wrote.
.
