Toolkit Case: Disha moves fresh bail application

New Delhi: Disha Ravi, who was arrested in an online 'toolkit' case has moved a fresh bail application in Delhi high court has claimed that the toolkit is merely a 'resource document'. Hoeh Delhi police have refuted her claim and informed the court that it was a gateway to various websites that defame India and its army. The police further added that the toolkit is closely connected to the Khalistan-backing organisation Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF).

Ther police argued that bail can be denied if the accused indulges in tampering of evidence. The prosecution argued that accused Disha Ravai has been refusing to cooperate with the probe. Her devices have been sent to the FSL experts. Preliminary findings show contents have been deleted. The investigation is still at the preliminary stage., as reported by NDTV online.

Ms Ravi was taken into custody on February 13 from Bengaluru in connection with the toolkit case, an offshoot of the police's probe in the January 26 violence that broke out amid the farmers' protest rally on tractors in the national capital. Authorities believe foreign separatist forces were involved in the incidents of that day. Apart from Ms Ravi, they have zeroed in on two others, Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk, in this connection.

Referring to Mr Muluk, the police said the transit anticipatory bail he has got must not be cited in Ms Ravi's case as the Bombay High Court had not gone into the merits of the case.

The three of them are accused of creating the toolkit to organise an international campaign against India, which was inadvertently revealed by Swedish eco-warrior Greta Thunberg who tweeted it before deleting it.

While hearing Ms Ravi's plea today, the court asked, "What is a toolkit?" The judge also asked what was the legal bar that stopped the Bengaluru woman from moving bail. "What is the prosecution story? What are the allegations against Disha Ravi? What are the shreds of evidence against her?" the court posed three questions.

The Delhi police explained that PJF, based in Canada, advocates the creation of a Khalistan state. The tweets of the "secessionist organisation" are evident in their agenda.

"They wanted to take advantage of farmers protest. They wanted an Indian face. They got in touch with few people, including Disha Ravi. A mechanism was devised. The entire purpose of making this toolkit was a conspiracy between the accused," the police argued, NDTV reported.

In pursuance to this conspiracy, the prosecution said, Ms Ravi set up a WhatsApp group, "International Farmers Strike", on December 6. It claimed there were also attempts to get in touch with PJF.

On January 11, the police alleged, a Zoom call was made between PJF founder MO Dhaliwal and Ms Ravi. Several such meetings followed, the court was told. The toolkit itself was allegedly drafted on January 20 and its final version was shared three days later.

"There was no need to share this toolkit with PJF. It has nothing to do with farmers protest. That too in a clandestine manner. It was a sinister plan," the police argued.

(With inputs from NDTV online)