Disha Ravi Bail Plea Hearing, Deets Inside
Climate Activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested in the ‘toolkit’ case filed a plea requesting bail. During the hearing of a bail plea, the Court asked what exactly is the evidence against this lady connecting her with violence? Disha Ravi was arrested by the Delhi Police on the night of February 13 in Bengaluru for allegedly making edits to a Google document that was shared as a “toolkit” related to the ongoing farmers' protests.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju read out a reply by Delhi Police and said pro-Khalistani outfit Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF) mobilised support for its cause and “Disha Ravi is closely connected” with the organisation.
"I am 22, from Karnataka. I have no connection with the Khalistan movement, whatsoever," Ms Ravi argued before Justice Dharmendra Rana. "There is no single chat or conversation between me and the (banned organisation) Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) produced by the Delhi police." The prosecution has claimed that PJF, which is not proscribed, had close ties to SFJ, concluding, in turn, that it makes Ms Ravi an accomplice to alleged Khalistani activity.
She then pointed out that the police case had said that "yoga was being targeted". "If I prefer Kung Fu, am I in conspiracy with China? Is that sedition?" Ms Ravi's counsel Siddharth Agarwal asked.
"This was not just a toolkit. The real plan was to defame India and create unrest here," the police said before Additional Sessions, Judge Dharmender Rana.
Not satisfied, the judge asked Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the police, to show the contents of the toolkit that prove a direct link. The "toolkit appeared innocuous," Mr Raju said, only to add, "There was more behind it". To the argument that the external link provided in it was that of a website that spoke of genocide, the judge said: "Is there any direct link or we have to make conjectures here?"
While the police maintained that the conspiracy could be seen only based on circumstantial evidence, Justice Rana asked, "Should I presume that there is no direct link now?" When the police counsel could still not come up with an answer, Justice Rana said, "Unless I satisfy my conscience, I don't move ahead."
Ms Ravi was lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail over the past three days. The police had told the yesterday that she was being evasive and not cooperating with the investigation. "We would need the custody of Disha post-February 22 to confront her with the other accused. If she is given bail then the investigation will be frustrated," they said. The trial court sent Disha to judicial custody for three-days after her five-day police custody expired.
