Two people claiming to be Delhi police personnel seized a computer hard drive and other items from the home of environmental activist Shantanu Muluk, a suspect in the “toolkit” case related to the farmers’ protest, without a warrant. registration on February 12. at Beed in Maharashtra, his father Shivlal Muluk has told local police.
Beed Police Superintendent Raja Ramaswami said Wednesday that Shivlal Muluk made a representation to the police on Tuesday.
“Yesterday we got representation. We will ask questions and, consequently, we will take the necessary measures (sic) ”, reads the message sent to PTI by Ramaswami.
On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court granted Shantanu Muluk advance traffic bond for 10 days.
Shivlal Muluk, 54, made the representation as a “responsible citizen” to the Beed Police and urged the SP to take appropriate action regarding the “search” carried out at his home, an official said.
The letter said that two people visited the Muluks’ residence in the Chanakyapuri area of Beed on February 12 at around 5.30 am and presented themselves as Delhi Police officers showing their identity cards, the official said.
The duo told the Muluk family that the Delhi police wanted to know about Shantanu, saying that he had committed treason and that he had been in contact with pro-Khalistan people, the official said, citing the letter.
The duo then searched every room in the house and took a hard drive, an environment-related poster, a book, and a mobile phone cover from Shantanu Muluk’s room, he said.
According to Shivlal Muluk, the police officers did not show any search warrant and also did not obtain any permission from the family before taking these items, the letter said.
Police officers also did not prepare any “panchnama” of the seized material, he said.
A Panchnama is a record of witness testimony, usually prepared by the police, during the investigation of a crime or after a death.
Police officers also told the Muluk family that the seized material will be returned to them later, according to the representation.
Shivlal Muluk also claimed that the visiting police team had asked him to come to the government guest house in Beed for questioning.
The letter said that Shivlal Muluk, as a “responsible citizen”, was reporting on the Delhi police visit to Beed SP, as no local government official accompanied them.
When contacted by phone, Shivlal Muluk said Wednesday that he was in no condition to speak.
According to the Delhi police, Shantanu Muluk and Mumbai lawyer Nikita Jacob, together with the detained defendant Disha Ravi, an activist from Bengaluru, were allegedly involved in the preparation of the document and were in direct contact with “pro-Khalistani elements”.
On Wednesday, the Bombay HC also issued an advance traffic bond to Jacob.
On Monday, Delhi police alleged that Ravi along with Jacob and Shantanu had created the toolkit and shared it with others to tarnish India’s image.
Greta Thunberg, a celebrated climate activist, had shared the “toolkit” to support the agitation of farmers near the Delhi borders against the new agricultural laws of the Union government.
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She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.