A Delhi court on Saturday reserved its order on a bail application filed by climate activist Disha Ravi who was arrested in connection with the sharing of an online toolkit related to the ongoing farmers protest, on social media.
Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana reserved the order for February 23.
Earlier, opposing Disha's bail plea, the Delhi Police told the court that she prepared the toolkit with those advocating Khalistan and was part of a global conspiracy to defame India and create unrest in the country in the garb of farmers' protest.
The toolkit had triggered a storm after Swedish environment activist Greta Thunberg shared it on Twitter, prompting the Delhi Police to launch a probe into the alleged international conspiracy to defame the Indian government and the state.
"This was not just a toolkit. The real plan was to defame India and create unrest here," the police said, while alleging that Disha had deleted her WhatsApp chats, emails and other evidence and was aware of the legal actions she could face.
“Why did Disha Ravi cover her track and delete evidence if she did not commit wrong,?” the police asked, and argued that this showed her guilty mind and sinister design.
Ravi "was part of the Indian chapter of the global conspiracy to defame India and create unrest in the garb of farmers' protest," it alleged.
Disha's counsel, however, refuted the allegation and said there was no evidence to link her with the Sikh For Justice, a banned extremist organisation.
“If highlighting farmers' protest globally is sedition, I am better in jail,” Disha, through her lawyer, told the court.
There's nobody arrested in connection with violence at Red Fort who says he was inspired for same because of the toolkit, her counsel claimed, adding there is no evidence to show that the toolkit is responsible for violence during farmers' march.
The counsel also questioned the contents of the FIR and asserted that people can have a different point of view on a subject.
"There is an allegation in FIR that Yoga and Chai are being targeted. Is it an offence? We are now reducing the bar that somebody can't have a point of view different," Disha's lawyer said.
A trial court had on Friday sent Disha to judicial custody for three days after her five-day police custody expired.
The Delhi High Court on Friday heard Disha's plea to restrain police from leaking to the media any probe material concerning the FIR lodged against her.
The high court, in its order, asked media houses to ensure that no leaked investigation material is broadcast as it could affect the probe and directed Delhi Police to abide by its stand on affidavit that it has not leaked nor intends to leak any probe details to the press.
Disha was arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on Saturday and brought to Delhi. She was booked on sedition and other charges.
