A Delhi Sessions Court has recently granted bail to 22-year-old climate change activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested in connection with the farmers’ protests toolkit FIR. The Court granted the bail on the condition that she gives two sureties of Rupees One Lakh each. The order was passed today by Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana of Patiala House Court Complex after the previous order was reserved last Saturday, the 20th. The Delhi Police had opposed Ravi’s release on suspicion of interfering with evidence.
Ms. Ravi was produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Patiala House by the Delhi Police at the end of her police custody, which expired today, the 23rd. CMM Pankaj Sharma noted that after confirmation of bail, the Delhi Police’s plea requesting four more days of Ravi police custody would be disposed of.
During the 3-hour hearing on February 20, the Court questioned the Delhi Police about the link between the ‘toolkit’ and January 26 violence. The Delhi Police tried to argue that Ravi, along with other accused persons, conspired with pro-Khalistani Canadian organizations, Poetic Justice Foundation, and Sikhs for Justice, to defame India.
Advocate Siddharth Agarwal, who was representing Ms. Ravi, stated that the ‘toolkit’ was merely a document for coordinating nonviolent demonstrations and mobilizing a movement against the farmers’ laws on social media. He said that there was no proof to equate the ‘toolkit’ with the violence of January 26.
