Activist Disha Ravi Sent To Five Day Police Custody In "Toolkit" Case

Bengaluru-based climate activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested on charges of creating a toolkit related to the farmers' protest, has been remanded to a five-day police custody by a Delhi court on Sunday.

21-year-old Ravi, a co-founder of the Indian chapter of "Friday for Future", was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on Saturday.

On February 3, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg tweeted the toolkit to show her solidarity for the farmers' protest. She later deleted her tweet before sharing an updated toolkit. Delhi Police alleged that Ravi was an editor of the toolkit, a Google document.

In a series of tweets on Sunday, the Delhi Police termed Ravi a "key conspirator" who co-ordinated with pro Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to spread "disaffection against the Indian State".

They also allege that Ravi was instrumental in creating and spreading the toolkit via a Google document. Ravi's laptop and mobile phones have been seized by the police.

According to a report by The News Minute, Disha denied the charges in court stating that she did not create the tool kit and only made two edits to the document. Breaking down she said, "I was just supporting farmers. I supported farmers because they are our future and we all need to eat."

The Delhi police have registered an FIR under Section 124A (sedition), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) against people who created and spread toolkit.

An activist close to Ravi told The Hindu that her family and lawyers are being kept in the dark. "She was picked up for questioning. The family was also told she was being taken for questioning. But she has been taken to Delhi and shown arrest. Even the FIR copy is not available in the public domain and not made available to the family and counsel. We don't know what are the charges against her," the activist said.