Climate activist Disha Ravi has moved the Delhi High Court to restrain Delhi Police from leaking any information and probe material, including her private chats and communication with the third party. In her plea, the 22-year-old activist and student of Mount Carmel College in Bengaluru has specifically sought to restrain any media house from publishing extracts of her private chats.
On February 13, the Bengaluru-based college student was arrested by Delhi Police, in connection with a toolkit shared on social media by climate activist Greta Thunberg. The toolkit on farmers' protest had come under police scrutiny after Swedish activist Thunberg tweeted it on February 3.
Aggrieved by media trial
The environment activist was sent for 5-day remand on allegations of involvement in the toolkit case. The plea filed by Disha also includes directions to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting seeking to take appropriate action against three English new channels -- Times Now, India Today and News 18.
It also seeks action against all other news channels that allegedly reported on the case in the manner which infringes upon Ravi's "right to privacy." The plea also includes against those who allegedly reported her case, "in a manner grossly violative of her right to a fair trial and presumption of innocence."
Ravi's plea also submits that the reporting, omissions and actions on the part of channels were violative of her right to not just her privacy, but also her right to reputation, dignity and her right to fair trial, which are all guaranteed to her by Article 21 of the Constitution.
Petition against the procedure of arrest
Disha Ravi has also claimed in her petition that she was unlawfully and without basis arrested from her Bengaluru home in connection with the Toolkit. She has also alleged that she was flown overnight to New Delhi without the following proper procedure, without obtaining transit remand.
The strongly worded plea further says, that she is severely aggrieved and prejudiced by the media trial, ongoing investigation and the manner in which she was 'viscerally' attacked by media houses. She pleaded that their reporting was merely on the basis of "leaked investigative matter and prejudicial press briefings" by investigation teams.
