NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday granted bail to activist Disha Ravi in connection with the toolkit case.
Additional sessions judge Dharmender Rana granted relief to Disha on a personal bond of Rs one lakh and two sureties of like amount.
ASJ Rana had earlier questioned police on evidence connecting Ravi with the Khalistan movement.
“How can you impute the same intention to me just because I meet certain persons with bad credentials or am emotionally attached to a cause? Just because I approached a dacoit for temple donation, do I become privy to dacoity?” the judge asked, pointing out that Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF) is neither banned, nor is there any FIR against the founders.
She was sent to one-day police custody by a magisterial court on Monday after the police sought five days custody to confront her with co-accused— Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk in the toolkit case.
Chief metropolitan magistrate Pankaj Sharma had on Monday observed, “through collective confrontation the role played by each of them in deletion of original toolkit document would come to light which is very necessary for fair investigation.”
The court further underscored that the case involved allegations of a “vituperous campaign” to spread hatred and disaffection to disrupt peace and tranquillity to undermine India’s sovereignty, integrity and security, the investigating authority must be provided fair time and chance within the ambit of law to reach out to truth through custodial interrogation and confrontation.
“However, at the same time, a balance has to be struck with the individual’s right and considering the same, police custody remand of the accused is deemed necessary for a shorter period than required by the police as only confrontation of accused with other co-accused is sought and accordingly, accused is remanded to one day police custody,” it added.
Appearing for Ravi, advocate Sidhart Aggarwal argued that the only question was if the investigation’s need be met without putting her in police custody.
“They have the right to interrogate, confront. They will come on their predefined time and go back on their predefined time. Why should I be in police custody on the same questions. The demand of remand for five days is made to overreach the court deciding Ravi’s bail tomorrow,” he argued.
When the prosecutor objected to Aggarwal’s submission, he responded, “There’s a possibility that I may be wrong. But the fact that there’s a bail order for tomorrow should’ve been informed to this court.”
The police sought Ravi’s custody on the ground that she had confronted Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk who had been granted transit bail.
The police argued that the three accused has colluded with each other in creating the Toolkit and its various tools. It also submitted that Ravi had blamed others and the police had to ascertain each one of their roles.
“Further identification of other co-accused persons/conspirators and recovery of additional devices is to be made which is very likely and also to establish their links with pro-Khalistani group Poetic Justice Foundation,” the court noted.
Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk reached the cyber cell office in Dwarka to join the probe on Monday afternoon. The two entered the office around 12pm and Jacob was seen exiting around 8pm while Muluk was still being questioned. The two were also confronted with Disha Ravi who’s custodial interrogation ended on Tuesday. Sources revealed that Jacob is likely to be called for questioning on Tuesday again.