Toolkit document case: Nikita Jacob moves HC for transit bail

Advocate Nikita Jacob, a suspectin a case registered by Delhi police in connection with the''toolkit'' shared by climate activist Greta Thunberg over theongoing farmers' protest, on Monday approached the Bombay HighCourt seeking transit anticipatory bail.

A Delhi court has issued a non-bailable warrantagainst Jacob and another accused in the case.

According to Delhi police, the duo was allegedlyinvolved in preparing the document and was in direct touchwith ''pro-Khalistani elements''.

Jacob's plea seeking urgent hearing was mentionedbefore the Bombay High Court's single bench of Justice P DNaik on Monday.

The high court said it would hear the plea on Tuesday.

Jacob in her plea sought transit anticipatory bail fora period of four weeks so that she can approach the courtconcerned in Delhi to apply for pre-arrest bail.

The advocate in her plea said she is unaware whethershe is named as an accused or witness in the case.

''However, the applicant (Jacob) fears that she may bearrested due to political vendetta and media trial,'' herapplication said.

It further said the FIR registered in the case was''false and baseless'' and Jacob has already cooperated with thecyber cell of the Delhi police and recorded her statement.

''Some entity named Legal Rights Observatory appears tohave filed a false and baseless complaint with the Delhipolice and seeks to pin the blame for violence on January 26,2021 upon the applicant as well,'' the plea said.

As per the application, on February 11, a team ofDelhi police came to Jacob's house in Goregaon area of Mumbaiwith a search warrant and seized documents and electronicgadgets.

''The applicant has no religious, political orfinancial motive or agenda for researching, discussing,editing and circulating communication packs/toolkits forraising awareness, let alone to incite violence, riots and/orcause any other physical harm,'' the application said.

It said Jacob was a practising advocate in the BombayHigh Court who volunteers for environmental causes.

''The applicant was deeply concerned about the recentfarm laws and villainising of farmers,'' the application said.

It said Jacob's personal information and details arebeing circulated on social media.

The application further said that absolute lies arebeing spread to incite hate and violence against Jacob byclaiming she has ties with political parties like the AamAadmi Party (AAP).

The Delhi police on Saturday arrested 21-year-oldenvironmental activist Disha Ravi from Bengaluru in connectionwith the case.

She was on Sunday produced before a Delhi court whichremanded her in police custody for five days.

Greta Thunberg, a teen climate activist, had sharedthe ''toolkit'' to lend her support to the farmers' agitationnear Delhi borders against the Centre's three agri laws.

In the document, various urgent actions, includingcreating a Twitter storm and protesting outside Indianembassies, were listed which were needed to be taken tosupport the farmers' protest.

The toolkit has been cited by some critics as a''proof'' of her conspiracy to fuel protests in India.

Thousands of farmers protesting the Centre's new agrilaws clashed with the police during their tractor parade onJanuary 26.

Over 500 police security personnel were injured whileone protester died during the Republic Day violence.

Earlier, the Delhi police had asked Google and somesocial media giants to provide information about e-mail ID,URLs and certain social media accounts related to creators ofthe ''toolkit'' shared by Thunberg and others on Twitter inconnection with the farmers' protest.