Have not leaked any info, say cops on Disha's plea against 'media trial'

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that it has not leaked any personal information or WhatsApp chats of 22-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi to media houses and that it is willing to file an affidavit before the court in this regard.

The submission on behalf of the Delhi Police was made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, in response to a petition filed by Ravi seeking directions to police to restrain leakage of investigation material in connection with the "Toolkit" FIR lodged against her, to television news channels, claiming that it is "grossly violative of her right to a fair trial and presumption of innocence".

A single-bench of Justice Pratibha M Singh, said that the issue needs consideration and served notice to news channels Times Now, CNN News18 and the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) and asked the Delhi Police to file a counter-affidavit, further listing the matter for hearing on Friday.

Ravi, represented by Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal, has raised concerns in her petition regarding the "media trial" surrounding her arrest and the ongoing investigation, "where she is being viscerally attacked by several media houses...on the basis of leaked investigative matter and prejudicial press briefings, which is grossly violative of her right to a fair trial and presumption of innocence".

The petition further states that the "illegal actions and omissions" on part of the news channels has "irrevocably violated the petitioner's fundamental right to privacy, her right to reputation, her dignity, and the consequent effect of the administration of justice and right to fair trial…".

During the hearing, Advocate Sibal argued that the media "in its desperation to grab TRPs....is trampling on the fundamental rights of a person".

"Police appears to be the driving force and engine of this infraction. It is not a barren area any more...the courts have taken note," Sibal submitted.

Meanwhile, Solicitor General Mehta told the court that there is no leakage of information from police. "We may even put it on an affidavit," he told the court.

"This (petition) is made for media attention…", Mehta told the court.

Sibal further argued that "a young girl" has been made the subject of a "media feeding frenzy".

The petition alleges that the Special Cell has leaked investigative material by way of petitioner's alleged WhatsApp chats, the details of which were available only with the investigation agency. "The petitioner's mobile phone and laptop were seized by the police at around 11 AM on February 13, and has not been accessed by the petitioner since then," the plea read.

It has also claimed that publication and dissemination of Ravi's private alleged WhatsApp chats by media houses is a clear violation of the provisions of the sections of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 among other laws. Attaching a news report regarding Ravi's alleged disclosure statements, the petition stated that media houses have published one-sided defamatory, suggestive innuendos and half-truths about the petitioner…". Noting the arguments, Justice Singh said that the matter "requires consideration" and listed it for hearing as the first item on Friday.

Ravi, a member of the Fridays for Future group, was arrested from Bengaluru on February 13 for allegedly being one of the editors of the "Toolkit" Google doc and "a key conspirator in the document's formulation and dissemination", which was shared by global climate rights activist Greta Thunberg on Twitter in support of the farmers' protest. She was sent to 5-day-police custody by a Delhi court on February 14.