Delhi court grants bail to Disha Ravi in Toolkit case

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday granted bail to 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi, arrested in connection with allegedly being involved in sharing a "toolkit" on social media related to the farmers' protest.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana granted relief to Ravi on a personal bond of Rs one lakh and two sureties of like amount.

Ravi was arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru and brought to Delhi. She was currently in police custody.

During the three-hour-long bail hearing on February 20, the police said that the 'Toolkit' was a sinister design to defame India and cause violence.

"Poetic Justice Foundation and Sikhs For Justice in order to hide their involvement, used Disha Ravi as a front to carry out nefarious activity," Additional Solicitor General S V Raju told the court, adding that these organisations are connected to the Khalistani movement.

The Delhi Police further told the city court that Ravi covered her track and deleted evidence like contents of the Toolkit and a WhatsApp group, which the public prosecutor emphasized showed her "guilty mind".

Ravi's counsel Advocate Siddharth Agarwal, however, claimed there is no evidence linking the Toolkit to the violence during the farmers' march on January 26.

Ravi faces charges of conspiracy and sedition in the 'Toolkit' conspiracy case related to the farmers' agitation and was arrested from Bengaluru on February 13.

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.