Toolkit case: HC grants Nikita Jacob transit bail for three weeks

Jacob approached the HC after the Delhi cyber crime unit raided her residence on February 11 and seized her computer and phone in connection with the toolkit which was allegedly authored by her and Disha Ravi, an activist from Bengaluru

In a relief to activist-lawyer Nikita Jacob who applied for transit anticipatory bail after a non-bailable warrant was issued against her by a Delhi court in the toolkit case, the Bombay high court on Wednesday granted her protection from arrest for three weeks to enable her to approach the competent court or investigating officer.

Bombay high court. (HT archive)

Jacob approached the HC after the Delhi cyber crime unit raided her residence on February 11 and seized her computer and phone in connection with the toolkit which was allegedly authored by her and Disha Ravi, an activist from Bengaluru.

Another activist from Beed, Shantanu Muluk, who had applied for transit anticipatory bail before the Aurangabad bench of the HC, was granted the same for a period of ten days on Tuesday.

The single bench of justice PD Naik held that Jacob had no religious or political intent to incite violence and she apprehended arrest which was corroborated by the fact that a NBW was issued against her.

The court also referred to the order of justice Vibha Kankanwadi that was passed in Muluk’s application on Tuesday and said that similar reliefs had been sought by Muluk as well and the same were granted.

The bench of justice Vibha Kankanwadi while granting bail to Shantanu Muluk in her order passed on Tuesday had observed that apprehension of arrest was the key factor, that is, required to be considered in such applications and as Muluk was seeking limited protection to enable him to approach the competent court or officer, the HC was competent to grant the same.

Justice Naik said Jacob had been interrogated after which she was apprehensive of being arrested hence approached HC seeking relief to go to Delhi to approach the appropriate court. In light of this and the fact that the issue of transit anticipatory bail was pending but still the same was granted by other courts, the court granted protection to Jacob for three weeks and in the event of an arrest, she was to be released on a personal bond of ₹25,000.