On Tuesday, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has taken suo moto cognisance on media reports of the arrest of 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi by the Delhi Police.
The commission has sent a notice to the Delhi Police in this regard.
The notice by Delhi Commission for Women reads, “As per media reports, she was arrested by the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on February 13 allegedly for supporting farmer’s protest. It has been alleged in the media by some activists that she was taken to Delhi from Bengaluru by the Delhi Police with no disclosure of her whereabouts, not even to her parents”.
The 21-year-old activist was arrested from Bengaluru in connection with the formulation & dissemination of the Toolkit document, in the ongoing farmers’ protest. She was one of the editors of the ‘Toolkit’ document.
On February 3, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg had shared this “toolkit” in a tweet which she later deleted. Greta had also extended support to the protest by farmer unions on the borders of Delhi against the new farm laws.
The DCW notice said further, “It was also alleged that she was brought to Delhi from Bengaluru without presenting her before a local court for transit remand. It has been further alleged in media reports that Disha Ravi was produced before the court in Delhi without a lawyer of her choice being present in the court.”
DCW also stated in its notice that it is a serious matter & mentioned the order of the High Court of Delhi.
“This is a very serious matter. The Delhi High Court, in a 2019 order, stated: ‘Endeavor should be made to obtain transit remand after producing the arrestee before the nearest Magistrate… unless exigencies of the situation warrant otherwise. Also, Article 22(1) of the Constitution of India says that every person arrested has the right to be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice,” read the notice.
DCW requested the Delhi Police for details of the copy of FIR registered in the matter; reasons for allegedly not producing the arrested girl before the local court for transit remand; reasons for allegedly not providing the lawyer of her choice to the girl when she was produced before the court in Delhi and detailed action taken report in the above matter.
Considering the gravity of the matter, DCW requested to provide the sought information to the Commission latest by Feb 19.
Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava on Tuesday said that all procedures were followed in the arrest of activist Disha Ravi for her alleged involvement in preparing a toolkit that details support for farmers protesting against the Central Government’s agricultural laws.
“As far as Disha’s arrest is concerned, it was done as per the procedures,” Srivastava told the media.
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