Toolkit case: Nikita Jacob's bail plea on March 9

New Delhi: The Delhi court on Tuesday gave time to police to file a response on social activist and lawyer Nikita Jacob's plea seeking anticipatory bail in the toolkit case, IANS reported. The matter will be heard on March 9 along with Pune-based engineer Shantanu Muluk's plea who was also arrested by Delhi police with Jacob.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana adjourned the matter after he was apprised by the Delhi Police that they need more time to file a comprehensive reply to the application and that it be kept with a similar plea by co-accused Shantanu Muluk on March 9.

On February 17, Bombay High Court had granted three weeks transit anticipatory bail to Jacob with a direction to approach the court concerned in Delhi, where the case is lodged. Her protection from arrest ends on March 10.

Fearing arrest, she moved the Patiala House Court on Monday. Jacob, along with climate activist Disha Ravi and Shantanu Muluk, faces charges of conspiracy and sedition in the case.

Muluk and Jacob had joined the investigation at Delhi Police's Cyber Cell office in Dwarka on February 22. They were confronted with Ravi following that.

The court had granted bail to Ravi on February 23. The judge allowed the bail considering the 'scanty and sketchy' evidence on record.

A day later, the court also granted protection from arrest till March 9 to Muluk in the case and directed the police to not take any action against him till then.

The Delhi Police have contended that the google document tweeted by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg to back the farmers' protest and then deleted, was created by Ravi and two other activists Jacob and Muluk.

They asserted that the 'Toolkit' was a sinister design to defame India and cause violence.

(with minor edits from IANS)