Following a non-bailable warrant issued in her name in the Greta Thunberg ‘toolkit’ controversy, Mumbai-based advocate Nikita Jacob has moved the Bombay High Court seeking a transit anticipatory bail. Justice PD Naik will take the plea, which has been filed by advocate Sanjukta Dey for Nikita. However, the police said that Nikita has been absconding since the warrant had been issued against her.
Earlier, Legal Rights Observatory had filed a complaint with the Delhi police against her on February 4, following the Greta toolkit fiasco. The police reached Nikita’s residence on February 11 with a search warrant and seized her personal documents and electronic gadgets. According to Nikita, they recorded her statement as well. However, in her plea, she states that she has neither received a copy of the complaint nor the FIR filed against her, which alleged that she had a part in the Republic Day chaos at the Red Fort.
According to the police, Nikita helped in “editing” and “contributing” to the ‘toolkit shared by Greta, which was reportedly created by the Poetic Justice Foundation. Reportedly, the latter organisation is a pro-Khalistani group. The cybercrimes unit of the Delhi police had already filed a case on the matter, and the Delhi police have arrested 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi in connection to it. Disha has been charged with sedition, criminal conspiracy and creating disharmony among different groups. A Delhi court remanded her to five days of judicial custody.
Meanwhile, Nikita notes in her plea that certain “trollers” and “bots” are circulating her personal information on the Internet, and are claiming that she has a relationship with various organisations. One such allegation is that she is an active member of the Aam Aadmi Party, which the Legal Rights Observatory has mentioned. However, in her plea, Nikita says, “The present applicant has no religious, political and/or financial motive or agenda for researching, discussing, editing and circulating communication packs/ toolkits for raising awareness let alone to incite violence riots and/or cause other physical harms.”
She added that because of the actions by the digital truants, various news outlets and untrustworthy media have been violating her privacy, dissecting her personal information, and inciting hatred against her. Moreover, she claims that she is part of an environmental movement, helping to create awareness about issues and positive change through non-violent means.
Meanwhile, the police claim that “evidence” from Disha’s phone pointed to the activities of the two apart from one Shantanu Muluk. The officials claim that the latter “created” the ‘toolkit’ and the Disha and Nikita “edited” and “contributed” to it, and they had a joint Zoom session on January 11, ahead of the Republic Day activities.
