The same thing has been happening in the case of climate activist Disha Ravi. She has been arrested for alleged involvement in sharing a toolkit backing the farmers' protest. This is certainly not a political move. This is the conspiracy designed by a criminal mind. It has two dimensions; first, it would discourage the young boys and girls from raising their voice against denial of basic human rights and curbing of the democratic functioning by the Modi government and make them withdraw into their shell it would also have a psychological impact on the international celebrities and refrain them from raising these issues as doing so would endanger the lives and careers of their friends in India.

In the wake of the farmers’ movement a significant number of young activists and intellectuals across the globe have come together to question and condemn the actions of the Modi government. Some of them are Rasmas Nielson, Rihanna, Greta Thunberg, Amanda Corny, Lily Singh, Mia Khalifa, Nav, Jameela Jamil, Rupi Kaur, Meena Harris, Jay Sean, Hasan Minhaj, Jazzy B, Susan Saradon and John Cusack. Their number consistently on rise. The Government through its action wanted to tell these international celebrities that do not risk the lives of your friends through your action. How far this strategy of Commissioner would succeed is not yet known but one thing is certain that this has maligned the image of Modi government and more than that of India. The posts appearing in international media simply gives the impression that India has dictatorship where democracy has ceased to exist and people do not have basic human rights.

The sycophant police officials and bureaucrats must celebrate their achievement. These officials have also formed the habit of feedings malicious information about the person arrested. The situation has come to such a stage that Disha on Thursday had to move the Delhi High Court seeking to restrain police from leaking to the media any probe material in relation to the FIR lodged against her.

It is sad that the central administration and its elite officers have completely lost their sensibility and turn a robot under the present government. Or, how could they think of maligning the image and assassinating the character of the people arrested. The least said the better about the media. They have turned mercenaries always on the prowl to hound an innocent. The Delhi police denies of leaking the information. Obviously the question arises, how come these TV channel assess the information which was only with the police. The court must concede to the request of Disha and prosecute these TV channels for hatching a criminal conspiracy to humiliate and disgrace her. It is very difficult to believe Delhi police’s claim to be fair and innocent. Its entire operation, from her arrest in Bengaluru to producing her before the court in Delhi is surrounded in mystery.

Little doubt her arrest from Bengaluru on February 13 by the cyber cell team of Delhi Police was "wholly unlawfully and without basis". She should have been produced the local court in Bengaluru, sough a transit order and provided with a lawyer in Delhi while producing before the court.

In her petition she has alleged that investigative matters have been leaked to the media and the press briefings by the police are "prejudicial" and "grossly violative of her right to a fair trial and presumption of innocence". No doubt the Delhi police may feel sadist pleasure in resorting to this nature of action, but these actions and omissions has violated the petitioner's fundamental right to privacy, her right to reputation, her dignity, and the consequent effect of the administration of justice and right to fair trial.

This action of police has inspired the media to publish one-sided defamatory, suggestive innuendos, and half truths about the petitioner. Delhi police has been portraying creation of the toolkit as the most heinous crime. Though the cyber cell had lodged an FIR against "pro-Khalistan" creators of the toolkit for waging a "social, cultural and economic war against the government of India", it also maintains that toolkit aimed at spreading disaffection and ill-will against the government of India and creating disharmony among various social, religious and cultural groups. The police does not specify the nature of war.

BJP’s social media operators have resorted to all kind of vilification campaign against her. Friends and supporters of Disha lament that these people just a few days ago were describing her as a Khalistani. Today they call her a Christian. She is a Lingayat from Bangaluru but the saffron vigilantes, the bhakts, have been accusing her of being Disha Ravi Joseph a Christian from Kerala.

While Disha is languishing in the police custody, her friend Nikita Jacob, a Mumbai based lawyers, also an accused in the same case, has been granted bail by Bombay High Court. Obviously the court did not find any substantive proof.

Meanwhile Campaign Against Hate Speech, a Bangalore-based rights group has lodged a complaint with the city police commissioner’s office seeking legal action against Haryana minister Anil Vij for tweeting that Disha Ravi, arrested for editing and sharing a protest toolkit, should be “eradicated” (“Desh virodh ka beej jis ke bhi deemag mein ho us ka samool nash kardena chahiye fir chahe veh Disha Ravi hoya koi aur). It is really shocking that he has been advising the police to eliminate her. How could a minister come out with this nature of advice to the police? It is extremely sad that police in BJP-ruled Karnataka have yet not taken any action against Vij.

Incidentally the Delhi Commission for Women has sent a notice to Delhi police underlining that due procedure was not followed after climate activist Disha Ravi was arrested from her Bangalore home in connection with the “toolkit” sedition case. The panel asked the police to provide a copy of the FIR, reasons for allegedly not producing Disha before a local court for transit remand, “not providing the lawyer of her choice” when she was produced before the Patiala House court in Delhi on Sunday and a detailed action taken report. (IPA Service)