Toolkit case: Advocate Nikita Jacob moves Bombay HC for transit bail

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

A Delhi court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Jacob and another accused in the case. According to Delhi police, the duo was allegedly involved in preparing the document and was in direct touch with "pro-Khalistani elements".

Jacob's plea seeking urgent hearing was mentioned before the Bombay High Court's single bench of Justice PD Naik on Monday. The high court said it would hear the plea on Tuesday. Jacob in her plea sought transit anticipatory bail for a period of four weeks so that she can approach the court concerned in Delhi to apply for pre-arrest bail.

The advocate in her plea said she is unaware whether she is named as an accused or witness in the case. "However, the applicant (Jacob) fears that she may be arrested due to political vendetta and media trial," her application said.

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

"Some entity named Legal Rights Observatory appears to have filed a false and baseless complaint with the Delhi police 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 of Delhi police came to Jacob's house in Goregaon area of Mumbai with a search warrant and seized documents and electronic gadgets.

"The applicant has no religious, political 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 any other physical harm," the application said.

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

"The applicant was deeply concerned about the recent farm laws and villainising of farmers," the application said.

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

The application further said that absolute lies are being spread to incite hate and violence against Jacob by claiming she has ties with political parties like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The Delhi police on Saturday arrested 21-year-old environmental activist Disha Ravi from Bengaluru in connection with the case. She was on Sunday produced before a Delhi court which remanded her in police custody for five days.

Greta Thunberg, a teen climate activist, had shared the "toolkit" to lend her support to the farmers' agitation near Delhi borders against the Centre's three agri laws. In the document, various urgent actions, including creating a Twitter storm and protesting outside Indian embassies, were listed which were needed to be taken to support 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 agri laws clashed with the police during their tractor parade on January 26.

Over 500 police security personnel were injured while one protester died during the Republic Day violence. Earlier, the Delhi police had asked Google and some social media giants to provide information about e-mail ID, URLs and certain social media accounts related to creators of the "toolkit" shared by Thunberg and others on Twitter in connection with the farmers' protest.