Toolkit Case: Nikita, Shantanu’s Bail Hearings Adjourned to 15 Mar

Shantanu Muluk and Nikita Jacob.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

A Delhi court on Tuesday, 9 March, adjourned the hearing to 15 March in the matter of anticipatory bail pleas filed by Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk, in connection with the ‘toolkit’ case.

The court also directed that no coercive action shall be taken against both the applicants in the meantime.

Appearing for the two, senior lawyers Vrinda Grover and Rebecca John requested the bench to extend the protection of both Shantanu Muluk and Nikita Jacob. Grover, appearing for Muluk, sought an adjournment saying that she needed more time to prepare his reply. John also said that she would like to argue on the same day.

On Tuesday, 2 March, the court had adjourned till 9 March the hearing on Jacob's anticipatory bail plea in the case. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana had granted time to the Delhi Police to file a reply in the matter.

The Principal Bench of the Bombay High Court on 17 February, had granted transit anticipatory bail for three weeks to Jacob and had asked her to furnish a bond of Rs 25,000.

Meanwhile, on 25 February, Muluk was also granted protection from arrest by the Delhi court till 9 March in the case, with the Delhi Police seeking more time to file a detailed reply on his plea.

Now, both Muluk and Jacob's applications will be heard together.

What Is the Case?

The Delhi Police is probing the 'toolkit Google doc', which supported the farmers' agitation and was shared by climate activist Greta Thunberg.

The police said that Jacob is one of the creators of the ‘toolkit’, while Muluk was the owner of the email account from which the toolkit was created. Arrested climate activist Disha Ravi has been granted bail by the Patiala House Court in the same case.

“The initial examination of Nikita revealed that she and her associates, Shantanu and Disha, had created the ‘toolkit’ Google document. The email account created by Shantanu is the owner of this document and all others are its editors,” the police said.

The police further revealed that on 11 January, a Zoom meeting took place, attended by Jacob and Shantanu and organised by the Poetic Justice Foundation, which the police deems as a ‘pro-Khalistani’ organisation, in which "the modalities of the Global Day of Action were worked out".

Jacob had told the Delhi Police that her intent was never to incite violence, and there was nothing illegal in what she did.