'Very Serious Matter' : Delhi Commission For Women Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Disha Ravi's Arrest In 'Toolkit' Case

The Delhi Commission for Women took suo moto cognizance of media reports that 21-year old climate activist DishaRavi was arrested in violation of her constitutional rights under Article 22.Observing that it was "a serious matter", the Commission head Swati Maliwal has sought a reply from the Delhi police on the following :1. Copy of FIR registered in the matter.2. Reasons for allegedly not producing the arrested girl before the local court for transit remand.3. Reasons for allegedly not providing the lawyer of her choice to the girl when she was produced before the court in Delhi.4 Detailed action taken report in the above matter.In a letter written to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police Cyber Crime Cell, the DCW pointed out that the Delhi High Court, in a 2019 order, had stated: "Endeavor should be made to obtain transit remand after producing the arrestee before the nearest Magistrate unless exigencies of the situation warrant otherwise."The letter also mentioned Article 22(1) of the Constitution of India which says that every person arrested has the right to be defended by a "legal practitioner of his choice"As per media reports, she was arrested by the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on 13.02.2021 allegedly for supporting farmer's protest. It has been alleged in media by some activists that she was taken to Delhi from Bengaluru by the Delhi Police with no disclosure of her whereabouts, not even to hen parents. It was also alleged that she was brought to Delhi from Bengaluru without presenting her before a local court for transit remand. It has been further alleged in media reports that Ms. Disha Ravi was produced before the court in Delhi without lawyer of her choice being present in the court", the letter said.The DCW has sought the police reply by February 19.Delhi Commission for Women takes suo moto cognizance of reports that #DishaRavi was arrested in violation of her constitutional rights under Article 22.DCW seeks reply from Delhi Police @DelhiPolice #ToolkitCase @SwatiJaiHind pic.twitter.com/TNLH0EHZnC— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) February 16, 2021 Several legal experts have questioned the arrest and remand of Disha Ravi by saying that her production in Delhi was not accompanied with a transit remand from a court in Bengaluru, from where she was arrested. It is also highlighted that she was not provided a lawyer of her own choice.Former Supreme Court judge Justice Deepak Gupta commented in a channel debate that the 'toolkit'- which led to Ravi's arrest - said nothing about violence or incitement, and that it was a document calling for peaceful protests against farm laws. To term the 'toolkit' seditious was a wrong understanding of law, he said.Disha Ravi was arrested by a special cell of the Delhi Police from her Bengaluru residence on Saturday night in the FIR registered over the 'toolkit' shared by international environmental activist Grea Thunberg in social media to coordinate the agitation against the farm law. A Duty Magistrate at Patiala House Courts, Delhi on Sunday afternoon remanded her to 5-days police custody.Delhi Police said that Disha Ravi is an Editor of the Toolkit Google Doc & key conspirator in document's formulation & dissemination. "She started WhatsApp Group & collaborated to make the Toolkit doc. She worked closely with them to draft the document.In this process,they all collaborated with pro Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to spread disaffection against the Indian State. She was the one who shared the Toolkit Doc with Greta Thunberg.Later, she asked Greta to remove the main Doc after its incriminating details accidentally got into public domain. This is many times more than the 2 lines editing that she claims", Delhi police said in a tweet after her remand.

'Very Serious Matter' : Delhi Commission For Women Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Disha Ravi's Arrest In 'Toolkit' Case

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