Arrested activist Disha Ravi made the toolkit detailing digital support for the farmers’ protest against the three farm laws in collaboration with Nikita Jacob and Shantanu, Delhi Police said on Monday and claimed that Ravi revealed the information while she was questioned in Bengaluru after her arrest. Prem Nath, the joint commissioner of police of the cyber cell, said during a press briefing that Jacob, a lawyer, Shantanu and Ravi had created the document. “The email account created by Shantanu is the owner of this doc and all others are its editors,” He added.
He also said that team reached Mumbai and conducted searches at Jacob’s residence on February 11. Information from Jacob’s phone shows that she and Ravi had formed the toolkit and sent it to Swedish activist Greta Thunberg on Telegram app. “The aim was to spread misinformation and disaffection. They also sought people's participation in January 26 violence,” he added.
“On February 4, during a social media monitoring we came across the toolkit which had one portion as - prior action - in which there were instructions on how to start hashtags and tweet storms, and targeting Indian embassies,” he said. “It was seen after January 26 that instructions, as given in toolkit, were followed and during initial probe a warrant was issued from a court against Jacob after incriminating documents were recovered from her iPhone and laptop,” he said.
On January 11, pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation held a Zoom meeting which was attended by Jacob, Ravi and the group’s founder Mo Dhaliwal with a motive “to spread misinformation and disaffection.”Dhaliwal had contacted Jacob through his colleague Puneet, a Canadian citizen, to create a storm on Twitter ahead of Republic Day, police said on the 'Toolkit' document case related to the ongoing farmers' protest.
The senior police officer also said that data was also deleted and that Ravi’s Telegram account shows that many links related to the toolkit were also removed. He said that since Jacob and Shantanu, a Pune-based engineer who is associated with NGO XR Factor, are absconding so a non-bailable warrant has been issued against them.
Jacob’s house was searched after due intimation to Mumbai Police and incriminating information was recovered. “She was asked to make herself present but she's absconding,” Nath added.
Separate teams have been sent to Maharashtra and Bengaluru as she's still absconding. Jacob has moved an urgent transit anticipatory bail before Bombay High Court. Delhi Police have already arrested activist Disha Ravi in connection with the toolkit case on Sunday.
(With inputs from agencies)