‘Have not leaked anything to media’
NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Thursday told the Delhi high court that it has not leaked any material to the media in relation to its probe in the FIR against climate activist Disha Ravi for her alleged involvement in sharing a toolkit backing the ongoing farmers’ protest.
The court was hearing Ravi’s plea to restrain police from leaking to the media any probe material in relation to the FIR lodged against her.
The submission was made before Justice Prathiba M Singh by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the police.
The court asked the police to file an affidavit containing its submission that it has not leaked any material relating to the investigation to the media.
Since there were no counsels representing the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) and some of the media houses named in Ravi’s petition, the court issued notice to them and said it will hear the matter on Friday.
The petition has also sought to restrain the media from publishing the content or extract of any private chats, including those on WhatsApp, between her and third parties.
Ravi said she is “severely aggrieved and prejudiced by the media trial surrounding her arrest and the ongoing investigation, where she is being viscerally attacked by the (police) and several media houses”.
She said that her arrest from
Bengaluru on February 13 by a Cyber Cell team of Delhi Police was “wholly unlawfully and without basis”.
She contended in the present circumstances, it was “highly likely” that the general public will perceive the news items “as being conclusive as to the guilt of the petitioner (Ravi)”. “In these circumstances, and to restrain the respondents from further violating her privacy, her reputation, and her right to a fair trial, the petitioner is moving the present petition,” the plea has said.
Her petition has alleged that investigative matters have been leaked to the media and the press briefings by the police are “prejudicial” and “grossly violative of her right to a fair trial and presumption of innocence”.