Delhi Court Grants Bail to Climate Activist Disha Ravi in ‘Toolkit’ Case

A Delhi court granted bail to 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi in connection with the ‘Toolkit’ case on Monday.

Ravi had been arrested from Bengaluru by the Delhi Police on February 13 and had remained in custody since under charges of conspiracy and sedition.

According to Live Law, the Patiala House court granted bail on the condition that she furnish two sureties of Rs one lakh each.

A toolkit is a document used by activists and organisations to co-ordinate campaigns online and offline and are even used by governments and various organisations across the globe.

Additional Sessions Court Judge Dharmender Rana, Patiala House Courts, had earlier quizzed the police on the connection between the ‘toolkit’ in question and the incidents of violence on Republic Day during the farmers’ tractor parade.

“If highlighting farmers’ protest globally is sedition, I’m better in jail,” Ravi had said through her counsel on Saturday.

Ravi's counsel was submitting arguments after the Delhi Police had opposed her bail plea, alleging she was preparing the toolkit with those advocating Khalistan and was part of a global conspiracy to defame India and create unrest in the country in the garb of farmers' protest.

“This was not just a toolkit. The real plan was to defame India and create unrest here,” the police said before Judge Dharmender.

It alleged that Ravi deleted WhatsApp chats, emails and other evidence and was aware of legal actions she could face.

Why did Disha Ravi cover her track and delete evidence if she did not commit wrong, the police said, alleging that his shows her guilty mind and sinister design.

Ravi "was part of the Indian chapter of the global conspiracy to defame India and create unrest in the garb of farmers' protest," it alleged, adding she was in touch and preparing and sharing toolkit with those advocating Khalistan

"It shows there was a sinister design behind this toolkit," the police told the court.

However, Ravi's lawyer rejected the allegations.

"There is no evidence to link me with Sikhs For Justice, a banned organisation. And even if I (Ravi) meet someone, there is no symbol on him that he is a secessionist," the defence counsel said.

"The Delhi police gave permission for the farmers’ march, which they’re claiming that I (Ravi) asked people to join, so how did I become seditious," the lawyer said in court.

There’s nobody arrested in connection with violence at Red Fort who says he was inspired for same because of the toolkit, Ravi's counsel claimed, adding there is no evidence to show that the toolkit is responsible for violence during farmers' march.

The counsel also questioned the contents of the FIR and asserted that people can have a different point of view on a subject.

"There is an allegation in FIR that Yoga and Chai are being targeted. Is it an offence? We are now reducing the bar that somebody can’t have a point of view different," Ravi's lawyer said.

"The talk about alleged genocide in Kashmir has been going on for years. How talking about it suddenly becomes sedition," the lawyer said.

A trial court had on Friday sent Ravi to judicial custody for three days after her five-day police custody expired.

The Delhi high court on Friday heard Ravi's plea to restrain police from leaking to the media any probe material concerning the FIR lodged against her.

The high court, in its order, asked media houses to ensure that no leaked investigation material is broadcast as it could affect the probe and directed Delhi Police to abide by its stand on affidavit that it has not leaked nor intends to leak any probe details to the press.

Ravi was arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on Saturday and brought to Delhi. She was booked on sedition and other charges.

(With inputs from PTI)