Disha Ravi, Nikita Jacob, and Shantanu created toolkit: Delhi Police
Activist Disha Ravi had joined hands with a Mumbai-based lawyer, Nikita Jacob, and an engineer Shantanu to create the "toolkit" supporting the farmers' agitation, the Delhi Police said on Monday about the case that has garnered attention. The motive of the document was to tarnish India's image, Joint Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Prem Nath said yesterday. Here's more on what the police disclosed.
On Zoom call, course of action for R-Day was discussed
As per police, on January 11, pro-Khalistani outfit Poetic Justice Foundation had organized a Zoom meeting, attended by Shantanu, Jacob as well as the organization's founder Mo Dhaliwal. During the meeting, the course of action for January 26 was discussed. Police said Dhaliwal wanted "to create a storm on Twitter." He got in touch with Jacob via his friend Puneet, a Canadian citizen.
Email account created by Shantanu is the owner of toolkit
In the meeting, it was decided to create the toolkit titled "Global Farmer Strike" and "Global Day of Action, 26 January," Nath said. He also said that an email account created by Shantanu is the owner of the toolkit. The others were the editors of the document. While Ravi was arrested on Sunday, non-bailable warrants have been issued against Jacob and Shantanu.
Instructions given in toolkit were followed on January 26
About the probe, Nath said that police came across the toolkit on February 4 "which had one portion as - prior action - in which there were instructions on how to start hashtags and tweetstorms, and targeting Indian embassies. (sic)" The senior cop added that whatever happened on January 26 was "copycat execution of the toolkit." He also said that Jacob's house was raided on February 11.
Meanwhile, Jacob has approached HC for anticipatory bail
Though Jacob was unavailable at her house, her electronic gadgets were examined. The Mumbai Police was kept in the loop about the raid and incriminating evidence was recovered, Nath added. Facing action, the lawyer has moved the Bombay High Court seeking protection from arrest for four weeks. She also wants the court to stop Delhi Police from taking coercive action against her and furnish a copy of FIR.
Ravi had asked Thunberg to delete toolkit
The police further said that it was Ravi who asked Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg to delete the toolkit from her Twitter account, fearing action under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). In a WhatsApp message, Ravi told Thunberg that "their names are on it" and that "we can literally get UAPA against us." "Okay, can you not tweet the toolkit at all, (sic)" Ravi texted.
She was arrested in the presence of her mother: Police
The police also dismissed allegations that Ravi was arrested and brought to the national capital without her parents' knowledge. "Disha Ravi was arrested in the presence of her mother, SHO from local police, and a female officer," said police. She has been sent to judicial custody for five days. A man named Peter Friedrich is also being probed in connection to the toolkit case.
