Shantanu Muluk, accused in the toolkit document relating to the farmers’ protest that had references to conspiracy against India, Tuesday moved a Delhi court seeking anticipatory bail. Shantanu in his bail plea has claimed that he had just made the document with information on the protest, it was then edited by others without his knowledge, alleged Shantanu.
Shantanu Muluk, Disha Ravi and Nikita Jacob have been charged with sedition and plotting in the case relating to farmers' protest. The “toolkit” document was a mischievous device to malign India’s image and create violence, said the police.
"He merely created a document containing information about the protest and it was then edited by others without the knowledge or involvement," said the bail petition, adding that Shantanu did not access the document after January 20.
Stressing that he had just gathered information about the farmers’ protest sites and formulated it in a form of a map for easy reference, Shantanu said that the toolkit indistinctly shows that there is no connection with their social media support for the farmers’ protests, and with any violence whatsoever.
Speaking on police’s allegations on his links with the Canada-based Khalistani organisations 'Poetic Justice Foundation' and ‘Sikhs for Justice’, Shantanu claimed he never had kept contact with any person or organisation in connection to the toolkit outside India.
"That there may be differing views on 'internationalising' a protest, but the same is certainly not illegal. Applicant as a climate activist perforce campaigns with activists internationally. Simply talking to persons from outside India cannot be criminalised," the petition said.
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In recent progress in the case, the court on Wednesday had asked the Delhi police to respond to the anticipatory bail application of Shantanu Muluk. Shantanu’s bail application for arguments has been posted on Friday, by the Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana.
During the brief hearing today, the court noted that Shantanu has been granted protection from arrest till February 26.