A Delhi court sent Disha Ravi, 21-year-old environmental activist, to three days’ judicial custody in the ‘toolkit’ case. Disha Ravi was arrested earlier this month from her residence in Bengaluru by the Delhi Police.
Earlier remanded to five days’ custody, Disha Ravi was produced in the Patiala House Court Friday with Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Judge Aakash Jain presiding.
Representing the Delhi Police, Advocate Irfan Ahmed sought three days’ judicial custody for Disha Ravi. “Five days’ police remand was granted. During the course of the investigation, she has been evasive. Hence, we want three days’ judicial custody,” Ahmed said in court.
Advocate Irfan Ahmed also told the court that Disha Ravi has shifted the blame to co-accused Shantanu Muluk and Nikita Jacob. Muluk, an engineer and Jacob, a lawyer by profession were granted anticipatory bail by the Bombay High Court in the ‘toolkit’ case after the Delhi Police issued a non-bailable warrant for their arrest.
Arguing on behalf of Disha Ravi, Advocate Siddharth Agarwal alleged that there is a possibility of tampering with evidence and the court should wait for the case diary to be produced. “They are claiming many things,” Advocate Siddharth Agarwal said.
Responding to the court virtually over confusion related to the case diary, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju said the Delhi Police is not seeking Disha Ravi’s custody but wants her to be sent to judicial custody.
The court had asked ASG Raju, “They are saying case diary is not maintained in terms of Delhi High Court Rules.”
Meanwhile, the court also granted Advocate Abhinav Sekhri’s request for a 15-minute legal interview of Disha Ravi inside the lock-up she is being held in. The court of Judge Aakash Jain also recorded that the Delhi Police has sent a notice to co-accused Shantanu Muluk, asking him to join the investigation by February 22.
