Toolkit case: Bombay HC grants protection from arrest to lawyer and activist Nikita Jacob for three weeks

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted protection from arrest to lawyer and activist Nikita Jacob for three weeks in the case registered by the Delhi Police pertaining to the “toolkit” related to the ongoing farmers’ protests.

Justice PD Naik pronounced the order today after perusing the order passed by the Aurangabad Bench of the High Court, which granted transit bail to activist Shantanu Muluk, another person implicated in the toolkit case, Bar & Bench reported.

Senior Advocate Mihir Desai, appearing for Jacob, submitted the order passed by the Aurangabad Bench to Justice Naik.

Advocate Hiten Venegaokar, appearing for Delhi Police, asked the court to consider a judgment passed by Justice AS Gadkari of the High Court on transit bail.

Jacob's house was raided by the Delhi Police on February 11, after which a non-bailable warrant was issued against her. Pursuant to her implication in the ‘toolkit’ case, Jacob had sought transit anticipatory bail for a period of four weeks and protection from any coercive action pending the present application.

Jacob's plea before the High Court stated that she has no religious, political or financial motive for researching, editing, or circulating communication packs/toolkits for raising awareness, let alone to incite violence and riots.

She has also alleged in her application that some trolls and bots are circulating her personal information, email-IDs, phone numbers, social media handles and pictures on social media.

The plea further claimed that Jacob found out from a social media account named Legal Rights Observatory that a complaint was filed with the Delhi Police seeking to "pin the blame" for the violence on January 26, 2021 upon her.

Jacob has raised apprehension that despite co-operating with the investigating machinery, she may be arrested due to political vendetta and media trial.

She has submitted since the FIR is registered in Delhi and she is a permanent resident of Mumbai, she would be unable to defend herself.