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News Desk: Shantanu Muluk, an accused along with climate activist Disha Ravi in the ‘toolkit’ conspiracy case related to the ongoing farmers’ protest, on Tuesday moved a Delhi court seeking anticipatory bail.
In the bail petition filed by him, Shantanu claimed that he had just made the document with information on the protest. The document was then edited by others without his knowledge, he alleged.
Shantanu Muluk, Disha Ravi and Nikita Jacob are facing charges of sedition and conspiracy in the case related to the farmers’ protest. As per police, the ‘toolkit’ was a sinister ploy to malign India and cause violence.
“He merely created a document containing information about the protest and it was then edited by others without the knowledge or involvement,” said the bail petition, adding that Shantanu did not access the document after January 20.
The Pune engineer underlined that he had just assisted in gathering information about the site of farmers’ protests and formulate it in the form of a map for easy reference. “The toolkit clearly shows that there is absolutely no connection with their social media support for the farmers’ protests, and with any violence whatsoever.”
Speaking on police’s allegations on his links with the Canada-based Khalistani organisations ‘Poetic Justice Foundation’ and ‘Sikhs for Justice’, Shantanu claimed that he has never had any contact with any person outside India in relation to the toolkit.
“That there may be differing views on ‘internationalising’ a protest, but the same is certainly not illegal. Applicant as a climate activist perforce campaigns with activists internationally. Simply talking to persons from outside India cannot be criminalised,” the petition said.
In a related development, a court on Wednesday sought the Delhi Police’s response on the anticipatory bail application of Shantanu Muluk.
Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana has posted Shantanu’s bail application for arguments on Friday.
During the brief hearing today, the court noted that Shantanu has been granted protection from arrest till February 26.
