There is no evidence to show that the toolkit on farmers' protest is responsible for the violence on January 26, activist Disha Ravi's counsel told a Delhi court which reserved for February 26 its order on her bail plea.
“If highlighting farmers’ protest globally is sedition, I’m better in jail,” Ms. Ravi said through her counsel on February 20.
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Ms. Ravi's counsel was submitting arguments after the Delhi Police opposed her bail plea, alleging she was preparing 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.
“This was not just a toolkit. The real plan was to defame India and create unrest here,” the police said before Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana.
Also read: Disha Ravi case: Delhi Police deny leakage of documents
They alleged that Ms. Ravi deleted WhatsApp chats, emails and other evidence and was aware of legal actions she could face.
Why did Disha Ravi cover her track and delete evidence if she did not commit wrong, the police said, alleging that this shows her guilty mind and sinister design.
Ms. 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, adding she was in touch and preparing and sharing toolkit with those advocating Khalistan “It shows there was a sinister design behind this toolkit,” the police told the court.
However, Ravi's lawyer rejected the allegations.
“There is no evidence to link me with Sikhs For Justice, a banned organisation. And even if I (Ravi) meet someone, there is no symbol on him that he is a secessionist,” the defence counsel said.
“The Delhi police gave permission for the farmers’ march, which they’re claiming that I (Ravi) asked people to join, so how did I become seditious,” the lawyer said in court.
There’s nobody arrested in connection with violence at Red Fort who says he was inspired for same because of the toolkit, Ms. Ravi's 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,” Ms. Ravi's lawyer said.
“The talk about alleged genocide in Kashmir has been going on for years. How talking about it suddenly becomes sedition,” the lawyer said.
A trial court had on February 19 sent Ravi to judicial custody for three days after her five-day police custody expired.
The Delhi High Court on February 19 heard Ms. Ravi'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.
Ms. Ravi was arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on February 20 and brought to Delhi. She was booked on sedition and other charges.
