News Analysis India

Tag: Toolkit document case

  • Delhi court sends Disha Ravi to three-day judicial custody in Toolkit case

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A Delhi court Friday sent climate activist Disha Ravi, arrested for allegedly being involved in sharing a “toolkit” on social media related to the farmers’ protest, to three-day judicial custody.

    Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain sent Ravi, 21, to jail after Delhi Police produced her before the court on expiry of her five-day custodial interrogation.

    Police said that her custodial interrogation was not required for the time being and the agency may seek her further interrogation once her co-accused — Shantanu Mukul and Nikita Jacob — join the interrogation.

    Police said Ravi was evasive during her previous interrogation and tried to shift blame on the co-accused.

    Mukul and Jacob have been asked to appear before the investigating agency on February 22, the agency told the court.

    The defence lawyer opposed the police plea and urged the court to release Ravi.

    He further said that there was an apprehension of tampering of the evidence by police as the “case diary is not properly made…and in volume form. There’s no ground to keep her in any custody, police custody or judicial custody. I (Ravi) ought to be released right now”.

    The court was also informed that the accused has moved a bail application which will come up for hearing on Saturday.

    Last Sunday the court had sent Ravi to five-day police custody after it said her custodial interrogation was required to probe an alleged larger conspiracy against the government of India and to ascertain her alleged role relating to the Khalistan movement.

    Ravi, arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on Saturday, was produced before a court here and police had sought her seven days’ custody.

    While seeking her custody, the police had told the court that the activist had allegedly edited the “toolkit” on February 3 and many other people were involved in the matter.

    A “toolkit” is a document created to explain any issue. It also provides information on what one needs to do to address the issue.

    This might include information about petitions, details about protests and mass movements.

    Earlier, the Delhi Police had asked Google and some social media giants to provide information about email id, URLs and certain social media accounts related to the creators of the “toolkit” shared by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and others on Twitter in connection with the farmers’ protest.

    The Cyber Cell had lodged an FIR against “pro-Khalistan” creators of the “toolkit” for waging a “social, cultural and economic war against the government of India”.

    The case against unnamed persons was registered on charges of criminal conspiracy, sedition and various other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

    The “toolkit” was aimed at spreading disaffection and ill-will against the government of India and creating disharmony among various social, religious and cultural groups, the police had claimed.

  • Delhi Police writes to Zoom, seeks details of those who attended toolkit meeting ahead of R-Day

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has written to video conferencing platform Zoom seeking details of those who participated in the January 11 meeting organised allegedly by a pro-Khalistani group to prepare a protest “toolkit” backing the farmers’ agitation, officials said on Tuesday.

    Police alleged that Mumbai lawyer Nikita Jacob and Pune engineer Shantanu were among the around 70 people who had attended the meeting through Zoom app, days before the Republic Day violence in the national capital that left over 500 police personnel injured and one protester dead.

    “The Delhi Police has written to video conferencing app Zoom seeking details of participants who attended the meeting on January 11,” the official said.

    On Monday, Joint Commissioner of Police (cyber) Prem Nath had alleged that the e-mail account created by Shantanu is the owner of this Google document.

    “Pro-Khalistani group Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF) founder Mo Dhaliwal had contacted them (Jacob and Shantanu) through a Canada-based woman named Punit,” Nath had said.

    “Nikita and Shantanu had on January 11 attended a Zoom meeting organized by PFJ in which modalities were decided to create the ‘toolkit’ titled ‘Global Farmer Strike’ and ‘Global Day of Action, 26 January’,” Nath said.

  • Support swells abroad and at home for arrested 21-yr-old climate activist Disha

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  There was an outpouring of support for activist Disha Ravi from the opposition and global personalities even as a BJP leader drew parallels with terrorists and another got embroiled in a controversy over his tweet. Disha was arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with a ‘toolkit’ earlier tweeted by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. 

    Congress leader Raul Gandhi led the charge for his party as he tweeted screenshots of articles related to Ravi’s arrest and posted: “India won’t be silenced.” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, P Chidamabaram, Shashi Tharoor, Jairam Ramesh, Kapil Sibal chipped in to condemn the arrest. While Chidambaram urged students and youths to raise their voices against the ‘authoritarian’ regime, Ramesh dubbed the arrest as unwarranted harassment and intimidation.”

    ALSO READ | Toolkit row: Delhi cops deny illegality in climate activist Disha Ravi’s remand

    Climate activist Disha Ravi. (Photo| Twitter/ @KartiPC)

    AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury also came out strongly against the Modi government in the case.  It was not just opposition leaders back home extending support, as US vice-president Kamala Harris’s niece Meena Harris, British MP Claudia Webbe, American environmentalist Bill McKibben lent support to Disha.

    ALSO READ | Ramachandra Guha hits out at Centre, many groups hold protests demanding activist’s release

    Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij was caught in his own web after Twitter sent him a notice following a complaint from a user in Germany regarding a tweet. “Whoever harbours the seed of anti-nationalism in their mind, that has to be completely destroyed, be it #Disha_Ravi or anyone else,” he had tweeted.  Later, Twitter said the tweet was investigated and “was not subject to removal”. “Accordingly, we have not taken any action as a result of this specific report.” 

    BJP IT chief Amit Malviya, meanwhile, smelt the role of the Left in this episode. “The Left has been using young impressionable minds as cannon fodder for their deranged politics for a long time. From JNU to Jamia, AMU to Nadwa and now Disha Ravi, are all part of their sinister plot…”  Like Vij, three-time BJP MP from Bengaluru PC Mohan went all out against the 21-year-old climate activist. “Burhan Wani was a 21-year-old. Ajmal Kasab was a 21-year-old. Age is just a number! No one is above the law. Law will take its  own course.” 

    ALSO READ | Toolkit case: After arresting Disha Ravi, Delhi Police issue non-bailable warrants against two more activists

    Advocate Nikita JacobLawyer who volunteers as social worker 

    A lawyer at Bombay High Court who volunteers for social work, Nikita Jacob has been alleged to have links with AAP. She, however, has denied her link with AAP in her affidavit in the Bombay High Court. Mo Dhaliwal, the Poetic Justice Foundation founder, contacted Nikita via his colleague Puneet who lives in Canada, the police claim. The motive was to create a Twitter storm ahead of Republic Day. According to her website, Nikita advises her clients to try settling civil disputes. Her Twitter handle that is locked has “Advocate, Bombay High Court” mentioned in her bio

    Farmer’s son who dabbled in business before activism

    Environment activist Shantanu Muluk hails from Beed district in Maharashtra, but studied and has been living in Delhi for last several years. His parents, who are farmers by profession, are worried about their son. The Delhi Police visited the family  in Beed as it is looking out for him in connection with the toolkit case. “Shantanu’s mobile phone is switched off. We last spoke with him few days ago. In lock-down, he was with us only. He studied in Aurangadbad and even did some small business in Pune before moving to Delhi. It is true that he was worried about the farmers and their protest in Delhi. It is natural as son of the farmer to concern about farmer community,” his parents said.

  • Prakash Karat demands immediate release of activist Disha Ravi arrested ‘toolkit’ controversy

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Senior CPI-M leader and the party politburo member Prakash Karat on Monday slammed the Narendra Modi government on the arrest of activist Disha Ravi and alleged that Delhi Police is acting under the direction of the Union Home Minister, adding that such prosecution of a young activist must stop.

    Speaking to ANI, Karat said that the arrest of Disha Ravi on charges of sedition and criminal conspiracy is an atrocious act by the Delhi Police. “She is a young environmental activist and what she has done is to extend support to the farmers. The toolkit which is supposed to be forwarded on the internet is nothing but a guideline on how to mobilise support for the farmers,” he said.

    “The Modi government has become paranoid. It is not willing to tolerate any activism or dissent. So we demand that Disha Ravi be forthwith released and the charges against her withdrawn. The Delhi Police is acting under the directions of the Union Home Minister. Such prosecution of a young activist must immediately stop,” said Karat.

    The senior CPI-M leader further said, “Who is Greta? She is a well-known environmental activist, just like Disha is. The “toolkit” explains how support can be mobilised for farmers, what is wrong with it? As I said, this is a part of a democratic movement or activity. How do you mobilise support for the farmers? The allegations are totally baseless.”

    21-year-old “climate activist” Disha Ravi has been sent to five days police custody for allegedly editing and disseminating the “toolkit” on social media. She was arrested by the Delhi Police cyber cell from Bengaluru on Saturday for her alleged role in spreading a “toolkit” related to the farmers’ protest.

    A Delhi court on Sunday remanded Disha to five days of police custody following her arrest in connection with allegedly spreading a “toolkit” related to the farmers’ protest. Duty Metropolitan Magistrate Dev Saroha of Patiala House Courts Complex allowed Delhi Police to quiz Ravi for five days. She was arrested on Saturday.

    Last week, the Delhi Police sent a communication to Google seeking registration details and activity log of the account through which a “toolkit” related to the farmers’ protest was created and uploaded on the social media platform.

    Two e-mail IDs, one Instagram account, and one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) were mentioned in the toolkit and police have asked for details from the respective platforms.

    The police had registered an FIR against unidentified persons in connection with the creators of the “toolkit’.  

  • Unarmed Disha strikes fear among those who have weapons: Priyanka Gandhi on arrest of activist

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday came out in support of climate activist Disha Ravi who was arrested by Delhi police over the “toolkit” controversy related to farmers’ protest on social media and said that the unarmed girl has struck fear among those who are armed with guns.

    “People with guns are afraid of an unarmed girl. Rays of courage and hope are being spread through an unarmed girl #ReleaseDishaRavi #DishaRavi #IndiaBeingSilenced,” tweeted the Congress leader.

    Several political leaders slammed Delhi Police for arresting 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi from Bengaluru and termed her arrest as “unwarranted harassment, unfortunate and shocking”.

    She was arrested for allegedly editing and disseminating the “toolkit” on social media.

    Another Congress leader P Chidambaram said, “The Indian state must be standing on very shaky foundations if Disha Ravi, a 22-year-old student of Mount Carmel College and a climate activist, has become a threat to the nation.”

    “A ‘tool kit’ to support the farmers’ protest is more dangerous than the intrusion by Chinese troops into Indian territory! India is becoming the theatre of the absurd and it is sad that the Delhi Police has become a tool of the oppressors,” he added.

    A Delhi court on Sunday remanded Disha to five days of police custody following her arrest in connection with allegedly spreading a “toolkit” related to the farmers’ protest. Duty Metropolitan Magistrate Dev Saroha of Patiala House Courts Complex allowed Delhi Police to quiz Ravi for five days. She was arrested on Saturday.

    According to the Delhi Police officials, Disha is a key conspirator in the “toolkit” case as she had admitted during the initial interrogation to editing, adding some things in the “toolkit” and spreading it further.

    Last week, the Delhi Police sent a communication to Google seeking registration details and activity log of the account through which a “toolkit” related to the farmers’ protest was created and uploaded on the social media platform.

    Two e-mail IDs, one Instagram account, and one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) were mentioned in the toolkit and police have asked for details from the respective platforms.

    The police had registered an FIR against unidentified persons in connection with the creators of the “toolkit’.