'Disha Ravi deleted WhatsApp chats, this shows there was sinister design behind toolkit,' Delhi Police tells court

The Delhi Police told a Delhi court that activist Disha Ravi had deleted WhatsApp chats because she was aware of the legal actions. The court is hearing the bail plea of the climate activist who was sent to three-day judicial custody in connection with the Greta Thunberg "toolkit" case amid the farmers' agitation on the outskirts of the national capital.

The police also told the court that Disha Ravi was part of the Indian chapter of a global conspiracy to defame India and create unrest in the garb of farmers' protest and that it wasn't just a "toolkit" but a well-conspired plan.

Following the arrest of 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi in connection with the dissemination of the Toolkit document, Greta Thunberg on Friday responded to the arrest and said freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest are non-negotiable human rights.

"Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavi," Greta Thunberg wrote in a tweet.

Freedom of speech and the right to peaceful protest and assembly are non-negotiable human rights. These must be a fundamental part of any democracy. #StandWithDishaRavi https://t.co/fhM4Cf1jf1

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 19, 2021

Last Sunday the court had sent Ravi to five-day police custody after it said her custodial interrogation was required to probe an alleged larger conspiracy against the government of India and to ascertain her alleged role relating to the Khalistan movement.

On February 14, the Delhi Police took to microblogging website Twitter to elaborate on the case. It wrote, "Disha Ravi, arrested by Delhi Police, is an Editor of the Toolkit Google Doc and key conspirator in document`s formulation and dissemination."

She started WhatsApp Group and collaborated to make the Toolkit document, the police said, adding that she worked closely with them to draft it.

"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," the police wrote on Twitter.

(With agency inputs)