New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has sent a notice to the Delhi Police on the arrest of 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi in the ‘toolkit’ case. The DCW sought a report on issues like Disha Ravi was not provided a lawyer of her choice when produced before a court here.
Taking cognisance of media reports, the panel issued a statement Tuesday. It said that Ravi was produced before a court in Delhi without a lawyer of her choice being present there. The climate activist was arrested Saturday from Bangalore by the Delhi Police. She was detained for allegedly creating and sharing a protest toolkit backing the farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s new agri laws.
Ravi along with Mumbai lawyer Nikita Jacob and Pune engineer Shantanu Muluk created the toolkit. They shared it with others to tarnish India’s image, the Delhi Police had said Monday.
Police claimed that she had sent the toolkit to teen climate activist Greta Thunberg through the Telegram app. They said she also ‘coaxed Thunberg to act on it’. Non-bailable warrants have been issued against Jacob and Muluk, who are absconding.
Also read: Toolkit document case: Advocate Nikita Jacob moves Bombay HC for transit bail
The DCW alleged that Ravi was arrested and taken to Delhi from Bangalore by police. However, her whereabouts were not disclosed, not even to her parents. It has also been alleged that police did not present her at a court in Bangalore for transit remand, before bringing her to Delhi, it said.
The DCW has asked the Delhi Police to provide a copy of the FIR registered in the matter. It has sought reasons for allegedly not producing Ravi before a local court for transit remand, reasons for allegedly not providing a lawyer of her choice and a detailed action taken report, the statement said. The commission has asked police to provide the information by Friday, it added.
Shrivastava has also said that Ravi has been sent to five-day police custody and the matter was being probed.
