NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected a plea by climate activist Disha Ravi, an accused in the toolkit case which is allegedly linked to 2021 farmers protest, seeking modification of the earlier bail condition requiring her to get court permission to travel abroad.
A single bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noted that there was no ground to interfere with the trial court order while dismissing Ravi’s plea. Disha Ravi was arrested by the Delhi Police on February 13, 2021, for allegedly being involved in sharing on social media a toolkit related to the farmers’ protest which was then going on against the Centre’s three farm laws, and was granted bail by a trial court here on February 23, 2021.
However, as a bail condition, the court directed that the activist would need to obtain permission from the trial court each time she intends to travel. Earlier, she had filed an application in the trial court seeking a modification of this condition which was rejected by the court on August 9.
Again, challenging the trial court verdict, Ravi was knocking on the doors of the High Court with another plea. She argued that the proceedings against her under the sedition law had already been stayed and that she had complied with the bail conditions imposed on her. “I need to travel abroad frequently and on short notice. I have already travelled abroad three times after passing of the bail order and even an LOC has been issued against me. The bail condition of taking prior permission of the trial court is causing me inconvenience,” Ravi’s counsel had argued.
Ravi’s counsel further contended that she has travelled abroad three times since being released on bail.
Therefore, the condition for seeking permission from the court before travelling abroad should be modified and mere intimation would suffice, Ravi’s lawyer argued.
Advocates Shri Singh and Abhinav Sekhri appeared on behalf of the activist. The Delhi Police objected to the request, contending that the inconvenience caused by the current condition is not sufficient grounds for altering the court’s decision. Additional Standing Counsel Amol Sinha represented the Delhi Police.