Toolkit case: Delhi court to hear Nikita Jacob, Shantanu Muluk's anticipatory bail plea today

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court will on Tuesday hear the anticipatory bail pleas of activists Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk, who have been accused in a toolkit case along with Bengaluru-based Disha Ravi. 

The case involves the creation and sharing of a controversial toolkit - an online document - in support of the ongoing farmers' protest against farm laws. On March 2, Additional session judge Dharmera Rana had given the Delhi Police a week's time to file a detailed response on Jacob's plea and posted the matter for hearing today. 

The court directed the police to hand over a copy of its reply to Nikita Jacob's bail plea to her counsel. It may be recalled that on February 17, Bombay High Court gave three-weeks transit anticipatory bail to Jacob, so that the accused could approach the court concerned in Delhi, where the case is lodged. 

Muluk was granted transit anticipatory bail from the Aurangabad bench on February 16 for 10 days. On February 25, the court granted protection from arrest to Muluk which ends today.

Delhi Police are investigating a case related to the social media toolkit and Jacob has been accused of helping edit the document. They say that the toolkit was created with an intention to defame India and spread misinformation in the country.

The document was first published by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish climate activist, who tweeted in support of ongoing farmers' agitating against the contentious farm laws at the Delhi border.

The police have also linked the toolkit with the clashes that occurred between the protesters and police during the tractor rally on January 26.

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