News Analysis India

Tag: Toolkit case

  • SC dismisses Chhattisgarh government’s pleas in toolkit case against ex-CM Raman Singh, Sambit Patra

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain two separate appeals of the Chhattisgarh government against orders of the high court granting a stay on investigation in an FIR registered against senior BJP leader and former chief minister Raman Singh and the party’s spokesperson Sambit Patra for their tweets in connection with the alleged fake toolkit case.

    “Let the Chhattisgarh High Court decide the case,” a bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana said.

    The bench, also comprising justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said that the present cases cannot be granted separate treatment as there are many cases pertaining to the toolkit issue that are pending in various high courts.

    “Don’t waste your energy here. We are not inclined to entertain the special leave petitions. We dismiss the SLPs,” the bench said when senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for the state, wanted to refer to records of the case.

    The apex court requested the Chhattisgarh HC to decide expeditiously the pleas related to the fake toolkit case, saying the matters be decided without being influenced by earlier observations.

    The Chhattisgarh High Court on June 11 passed two separate orders and granted interim reliefs in the same FIR lodged against Singh and Patra while noting that averments in the FIR reflected that “by the tweets, Congressmen are aggravated which clearly indicates that no public peace or tranquillity is being adversely affected and it is purely political rivalry between two political parties”.

    On May 19, an FIR was lodged based on the complaint of Akash Sharma, the president of the National Students’ Union of India’s (NSUI) Chhattisgarh unit, with the allegation that Singh, Patra and others had circulated fabricated content on social media platforms using a fake letterhead of the Congress by projecting it as a toolkit developed by the party.

  • Sambit Patra, Raman Singh seek quashing of ‘Toolkit’ FIR against them

    By Express News Service
    RAIPUR: Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh and BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra moved the Bilaspur High Court, seeking to quash an FIR lodged against them. Their counsel Vivek Sharma claimed that the “FIRs were falsely registered against both at the Raipur police station”.

    “The basis on which the cases were registered in the Toolkit issue is already in the public domain and the petitioners had only commented on the existing digital record. So there does not remain any reason against them to pursue any probe or legal proceedings,” he said. The court is yet to decide on the date of hearing. 

    Last month, the Raipur police had registered FIR against Patra and Raman Singh under IPC sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (1b,c) (publishing or circulating statements or rumours conducing to public mischief), 469 (commits forgery) and 188 (for flouting orders under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897).

    Sambit Patra tweeting a post alleging Congress to have drafted a toolkit to malign the Centre’s image was branded as ‘manipulated media’ by Twitter, leading to Delhi Police landing at its offices as part of probe.

  • Toolkit case: Chhattisgarh police team to quiz head of Congress’ research cell

    Express News Service
    RAIPUR: Escalating their investigation in the toolkit case, the Chhattisgarh police have sent a team to Bengaluru to probe Rajeev Gowda, chairman of Congress’ Research Cell on Thursday. 

    Led by additional SP (Raipur, rural), a three-member team has left for Bengaluru to interrogate Gowda about the toolkit, police said.

    The Raipur police had earlier registered an FIR against BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh under IPC Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (1b,c) (publishing or circulating statements or rumours conducing to public mischief), 469 (commits forgery) and 188 (for flouting orders under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897).

    Even as Patra failed to appear for questioning despite Raipur police serving him notice twice, Raman Singh has given his written response to the queries raised by the cops. Patra has sent an email through his counsel to the Raipur police seeking a weeks time.

    “Fresh notices will be served to them as we are examining their responses and mail,” said Ajay Yadav, Raipur senior superintendent of police. 

    The cases were registered following the separate written complaints lodged by the state Youth Congress and the Congress students’ wing NSUI at the Civil Lines police station in Raipur.

  • ‘Toolkit’ case: Patra again fails to appear before Chhattisgarh police, seeks week’s time

    Express News Service
    RAIPUR: BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra again didn’t appear for questioning in the ‘toolkit’ case before the Chhattisgarh police in Raipur on Wednesday and instead sought one week’s time.

    The Raipur police had summoned the senior BJP leader with the second notice asking him to appear on May 26 evening personally or though video conferencing for questioning and cooperate with the investigation in the ‘toolkit’ case.

    Patra through his counsel has sent an e-mail to the Raipur police seeking a week’s time and also urged them to send him the written queries.

    The Chhattisgarh police said they will soon decide their next course of action.

    The FIR has been registered against Patra and former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh under the IPC Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (1b,c) (publishing or circulating statements or rumours conducing to public mischief), 469 (commits forgery) and 188 (for flouting orders under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897).

    The cases have been registered following separate written complaints lodged by the state Youth Congress and the Congress students’ wing NSUI at the Civil Lines police station.

    The opposition BJP had reacted strongly, calling the move “politically motivated”.

  • After FIR in toolkit case, Raman Singh, BJP leaders hold protest outside police station in Raipur

    By ANI
    RAIPUR: After FIR was registered against him in the alleged toolkit case, BJP National Vice President and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh along with other party leaders on Monday held a protest outside Civil Lines Police Station here.

    An FIR has been registered against Raman Singh and BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra in the alleged toolkit case. They were summoned in the case today.

    “An FIR has been registered against BJP’s National Vice President Raman Singh and BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra. They both have been summoned for further investigation,” Raipur Civil Lines Police SHO RK Mishra had said.

    “Today, we have asked Sambit Patra to be present here in person or via video conference. The complaint was registered by Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress NSUI president,” he added.

    This comes after an FIR was filed on May 19 against Patra and BJP Vice President Raman Singh after a complaint was registered by Chhattisgarh National Students’ Union of India president Akash Sharma, the student wing of the Congress.

    Speaking to ANI earlier, the NSUI president said that he had filed the complaint regarding the ‘toolkit’ that BJP leaders had shared online.

    “The police investigated and an FIR has been filed. In this, Singh and Patra have shared a fake document to defame the Congress party. They have made several false allegations,” Sharma.

    He further alleged that members of the BJP were spreading rumours to hide their failure in managing the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The BJP had alleged that the Congress party has come out with a toolkit to tarnish Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image and his government’s handling of the pandemic. 

  • Toolkit case: Chhattisgarh police serve notice on BJP’s Sambit Patra

    By PTI
    RAIPUR: Raipur police in Chhattisgarh asked BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra to appear before it in person or through video-conferencing at 4pm on Sunday in connection with an FIR lodged against him and senior colleague Raman Singh over an alleged fake toolkit, officials said.

    The FIR was filed in Civil Lines police station on May 19 on the complaint of an NSUI functionary who alleged Singh, Patra and others had circulated a fake toolkit using the letterhead of the Congress.

    An official said not complying with the notice would attract legal action.

    Similar notice has been served on Singh asking him to remain present in his residence at 12:30pm on Monday for recording of statement in connection with the case, the Civil Lines police official added.

  • Toolkit case: Delhi court extends protection from arrest granted to activist Shubham Kar Chaudhari

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday extended by three days the interim protection from arrest granted to climate activist Shubham Kar Chaudhari, a co-accused along with Disha Ravi and others in connection with allegedly being involved in sharing a “toolkit” on social media related to the farmers’ protest.

    Additional Session Judge Dharmender Rana granted the relief after police sought an adjournment in the proceedings related to an anticipatory bail moved by Chaudhari in the matter.

    He was recently granted transit bail by the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court.

    During the brief hearing on Friday, the police urged the court to adjourn the matter till March 15, when the anticipatory bail applications filed by co-accused Disha Ravi and Shantanu Mukul are scheduled for hearing.

    “No coercive action be taken against the accused till next date of hearing,” the court directed, after the accused informed the judge that the protection garnered by the high court was scheduled to end today.

    The counsel appearing for the accused told the court that his case was entirely different from the co-accused as he had no role in making the toolkit.

    The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court had granted him protection from arrest until March 12, so that he can approach a court in Delhi, where an FIR had been registered under IPC Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).

    The court had earlier granted regular bail to climate activist Disha Ravi in the case.

    The 21-year-old activist was arrested from Bengaluru in connection with the formulation and dissemination of the toolkit document, in the ongoing farmers’ protest.

    She was one of the editors of the toolkit document.

  • Toolkit case: Court extends protection from arrest to Nikita Jacob, Shantanu Muluk till March 15

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A court here on Tuesday extended protection from arrest till March 15 to Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk, both accused along with young climate change activist Disha Ravi in a case of sharing a “toolkit” on social media related to the farmers’ protest.

    Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana granted the relief after the counsel appearing from both the accused persons said they needed time to go through the reply filed by the Delhi Police before advancing arguments in the matter.

    The judge heard the submission and directed the police not to take any coercive action against both the accused till March 15, when court will further hear the matter. Jacob, Muluk and Ravi were booked for sedition and other charges.

  • Greta Thunberg’s comments on farmers’ protests not bilateral issue between India, Sweden: MEA

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Young Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg’s recent comments on the farmers’ protests in India do not form a bilateral issue between India and Sweden, and the matter did not come up during an online summit between the prime ministers of the two countries on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

    At a special briefing after the summit, Vikas Swarup, Secretary (West) in the ministry, was asked whether the issue of Thunberg’s comments on the farmers’ protest was taken up by India with Sweden during the meeting.

    “The answer is no. This is not a bilateral issue between India and Sweden,” Swarup said.

    Last month, Thunberg had taken to Twitter to say, “We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India. This was followed by another tweet a day later, in which she shared “a toolkit for those who want to help”.

    While a number of international celebrities, including pop star Rihanna, had also tweeted in support of the farmers’ protests, which entered its 100th day on Friday, the ‘toolkit’ matter became a major issue with the Delhi Police later registering FIRs against several people for allegedly trying to tarnish India’s image.

    The ‘toolkit’ document, listed various actions, including creating a “Twitter storm” and protesting outside Indian embassies, to support the farmers’ protest.

    In a statement, the MEA had said last month that some “vested interest groups” were trying to enforce their agenda on the protests and that a very small section of farmers in parts of the country has some reservations about the farm reforms which were passed by Parliament after a full debate and discussion.

    However, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 41 farm unions spearheading the agitation, had welcomed the support extended by international personalities, saying it was a matter of pride that they are showing sensitivity towards the cause of farmers, but it was unfortunate that the government of India is not understanding their pain.

    Emphasising that the protests must be seen in the context of India’s democratic ethos and polity, the MEA in its statement had said some vested interest groups have tried to mobilise international support against the country.

    Farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, including Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

    The government has denied allegations that it was trying to put an end to the MSP and the mandi system.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also assured farmers that the MSP would continue.

  • Toolkit case: Environmentalist Subham Kar Chaudhuri gets transit anticipatory bail

    By PTI
    PANAJI: The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court has granted transit anticipatory bail to environmentalist Subham Kar Chaudhuri, a suspect in a case registered by the Delhi police in connection with the “toolkit” shared by climate activist Greta Thunberg over the ongoing farmers’ protest.

    A single bench of Justice M S Jawalkar on Wednesday granted transit anticipatory bail to Chaudhuri, providing him protection till March 12 in order to enable him to approach the competent court in Delhi for seeking appropriate reliefs.

    “The reasons for apprehension of arrest is justified in the facts and circumstances set out,” the order, which was made available on Thursday, said.

    Chaudhuri, in his plea, said he was a resident of Goa since August last year and has no connection to the toolkit case.

    In his plea, Chaudhuri said he was an ardent environmentalist, actively involved in seeking ecologically sustainable solutions and proposing an environment-oriented approach towards policy-making.

    The court also considered the fact that two other suspects in the case- advocate Nikita Jacob and another environmentalist Shantanu Muluk- were granted transit anticipatory bail last month by the Bombay High Court.

    Both Jacob and Muluk later approached the court concerned in Delhi seeking anticipatory bail.

    Greta Thunberg, a teen climate activist, had shared the “toolkit” to lend her support to the farmers’ agitation near Delhi borders against the Centre’s three agriculture laws.

    In the document, various urgent actions, including creating a Twitter storm and protesting outside Indian embassies, were listed which were needed to be taken to support the farmers’ protest.

    The toolkit has been cited by some critics as a “proof” of her conspiracy to fuel protests in India.