Disha Ravi case may be headed for closure as probe hits impasse

The case filed against 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi may be headed for a closure as the investigation has hit an impasse with neither Zoom nor Google responding to queries by investigators.

On February 13, Disha was whisked away from her Bengaluru home by Delhi police and remanded to judicial custody for allegedly sharing a toolkit related to the farmers’ protest at Delhi with global climate activist Greta Thunberg. She was charged with sedition, promoting enmity and criminal conspiracy under sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Mumbai-based lawyer Nikita Jacob and Beed-based engineer Shantanu Muluk were also arrested for allegedly assisting her in editing the toolkit.

Also read: I was pronounced guilty on flat screens by TRP seekers: Disha Ravi

Disha was released on bail 10 days later by a Delhi court. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana said that citizens “cannot be put behind the bars simply because they choose to disagree with the state policies” and that the “offence of sedition cannot be invoked to minister to the wounded vanity of governments”.

Delhi police had alleged in the FIR that Disha had edited the toolkit and that on January 11, just days ahead of the Republic Day violence at Red Fort, Nikita and Shantanu had attended a Zoom call organized by pro-Khalistani outfit Poetic Justice Foundation.

The FIR filed by Delhi police alleged that the toolkit was proof that the violence in Delhi during a tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26 was a “pre-planned conspiracy” to attack the “sovereignty” and “security” of the country.

The Delhi police in February in a letter to video calling app Zoom’s management had sought more details about the participants in the meeting convened by Disha to discuss the toolkit. They wanted details of an alleged Zoom call that Disha and Nikita had with PFJ’s Mo Dhaliwal ahead of the January 26 violence.

A similar request was also made to Google.

The investigation, however, has made no progress as both the platforms, haven’t responded even though it has been eight months since the letters were sent to them.

At this juncture, reports quoting sources say police may not file a chargesheet against Disha after all and may be mulling to file a closure report on the case.

Requests by investigators to UK-based organization Extinction Rebellion, where both Nikita and Shantanu are employed, have also elicited no answers.

The investigators have said that their hands are tied now as they cannot pull up the companies for not responding as they are not based in India.

Also read: The law and logic behind rising sedition cases in Modi era

Reports also said that even though the investigators quizzed Disha after she was released from jail, they have not been able to prove charges of “criminal conspiracy” against her in regard to the January 26 violence.

Reports quoting probe officers have said that a final report, most likely, a closure report on the case will be filed soon.