After the arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi, Delhi Police on Monday intensified efforts to nab two other activists Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Mallick after obtaining non-bailable warrants against them, alleging that they were involved in preparing the "toolkit" related to the farmers' protest along with pro-Khalistani elements.
The police action immediately attracted criticism with senior Congress MP Jairam Ramesh tweeting, "Delhi Police on the rampage. After Disha Ravi, it is now the turn of another young woman, Nikita Jacob. More will no doubt follow...This is tanashahi (dictatorship) in New India called Amit Shahi!"
Joint Commissioner of Police (Cyber Cell) Prem Nath told reporters that Nikita, a lawyer practicing in Bombay High Court, had fled from her house in Mumbai, while Shantanu, an engineer, was not at his residence in Maharashtra's Beed when police went there this weekend.
According to Prem Nath, Nikita and Shantanu were in a Zoom meeting with around 60-70 people organised by the pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation and collaborated with them to prepare the 'toolkit' on farmers' protest.
Searches "during day time" at Nikita's residence yielded two laptops and an I-phone. She was asked to give a written undertaking that she would join the investigation at her residence on February 12 but she was found absconding when the investigators reached there, he claimed.
Similarly, Shantanu was also not found at his residence and police managed to get non-bailable warrants against both of them.
Disha along with Nikita and Shantanu created and distributed the toolkit, he claimed.
Investigators are conducting searches in Mumbai to arrest the duo. Nikita has already approached Bombay High Court seeking protection from arrest.
On Sunday, police had claimed that Disha was an editor of the "toolkit Google doc" and "key conspirator" in the document's formulation and dissemination.
Disha and others were also accused of collaborating with the pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to "spread disaffection against the Indian State". It was Disha who shared the toolkit with Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg, who posted it on social media among others, police claimed.