Tears and smiles as Ravi makes bail after 10 days

Eight days ago, 22-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi, arrested in connection with the Toolkit case, broke down when she was first produced by the Delhi police in the Patiala House Court. On Tuesday, when a Delhi court granted her bail, the sheer relief brought tears in her eyes.

Elated at the court order, Ravi had tears in her eyes as her lawyers ran from one court to another to complete the formalities of her release. Soon after she was produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Pankaj Sharma, at the end of her one day police custody, she broke down while meeting one of her relatives.

She also shook hands with one of her two relatives present in the court after being granted bail.

The Bengaluru activist was arrested on February 13 for her alleged role in creating, editing and dissemination of the toolkit document, which the police claimed was aimed at inciting unrest during the ongoing protests by farmers against the three new farm laws passed in September last year.

Dressed in a green top and grey shrug, and her face covered with a black mask with the colours of LGBT, Ravi looked calmer than the first two hearings.

During her second production before Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain on February 19, Ravi looked anxious with heavy media presence and the crowd in the court premises.

On Tuesday, soon after she was granted bail, she refused to say anything when asked her reaction. Two of her relatives, who were present in the court, also avoided questions.

Ravi was brought to the court amid high security where the police, represented by Public Prosecutor (PP) Vikas Singh, sought four days custody to confront her with the two other co-accused Mumbai lawyer Nikita Jacob and Pune engineer Shantanu Muluk.

However, as the police asked the custodial remand, Ravi’s counsel Abhinav Sekhri informed the judge that she has been granted bail by the sessions court.

CMM Pankaj Sharma disposed of the police’s application noting that the bail has already been given by a superior court.

Ravi remained in the court for some time after which was taken away by the jail police to complete the process of her release.

She was released from Tihar on Tuesday night. “Disha was released after jail authorities completed all formalities regarding her release,” PTI quoted a jail official as saying.