Toolkit case: Goa-based green activist gets transit bail

The Bombay High Court in Goa on Wednesday granted transit bail to environmental activist Subham Kar Chaudhuri, who in his bail petition has claimed that he is being falsely implicated in the Greta Thunberg toolkit case, in which Bengaluru-based climate change activist Disha Ravi was recently arrested.

In her order granting transit bail to Chaudhuri, Justice M.S. Jawalkar said that "reasons for apprehension of arrest is justified in the facts" presented by the applicant, while granting a period of 10 days to enable the latter to approach competent Courts for relief.

Currently Goa-based Chaudhuri has expressed fear of arrest by the Delhi Police Special Cell in connection with the Toolkit case probe, in which two other persons Shantanu Muluk and Nikita Jacob are on the police radar.

Chaudhuri in his bail application had said that he was in touch with Muluk and Jacob, both of whom have been booked for conspiracy and sedition in the Toolkit case, but their interaction had been in connection with another project altogether.

"Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk happen to be the members of the Extinction Rebellion India chapter, and his interaction with the said persons is strictly in capacity as liaison and in their capacity as volunteers in Extinction Rebellion -- which is completely unconnected with the offences that the hypothesis of the Delhi Police alleges. The petitioner reiterates that he has nothing whatsoever to do with the making of the alleged 'Toolkit'," his petition stated.

Chaudhuri, 29, has been living in Goa for several months and has been campaigning for accreditation for Goa's unique estuarine land farming systems referred to as khazan farming with the UN.