Toolkit case: Suspect Nikita Jacob gets transit pre-arrest bail

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted three weeks transit anticipatory bail to advocate and activist Nikita Jacob, co-accused in the “toolkit” case registered by the Delhi Police.

The court ruled that in the event of her arrest, Jacob be released on bail on furnishing ?25,000 personal bonds and sureties.

“This protection is granted for a period of three weeks from today (Wednesday) to enable the applicant to approach the competent court for seeking appropriate relief,” a high court bench held.


The bench had on Tuesday reserved the order on Jacob’s plea, seeking interim anticipatory bail of four weeks. Another co-accused in the case, environmentalist Shantanu Muluk was granted ten days interim anticipatory bail by the Aurangabad bench of the HC on Tuesday.

The Delhi Police had on Wednesday arrested 21-year-old environmental activist Disha Ravi on the basis of an FIR registered by its special cell on February 4 after Swedish teenager climate activist Greta Thunberg tweeted the “toolkit” on ongoing farmers’ protests against new farm laws that was allegedly created by Ravi, Jacob and Muluk. The FIR stands registered against unnamed individuals.

Claiming innocence, Jacob’s lawyer had on Tuesday argued before the HC that the toolkit does not contain any violent acts. He claimed that Jacob was already questioned by the Delhi Police on February 11 and that the police had seized her gadgets and electronic devices on the said date.

The Delhi Police, however, claimed that they had gone to question Jacob the next day (February 12) but she was unavailable and has been absconding since then.