New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS): Former law enforcement officers have said that in the case of Disha Ravi, age is immaterial, and what matters is the series of actions that are "naturally anti-national".

In a letter to the President of India, a forum of concerned citizens from judicial and law enforcement backgrounds said that they are very agitated by the unsubstantiated allegations being presented to the media as well the public in general through social media with regard to the arrest of Disha Ravi, a Bengaluru resident, by the Delhi Police.

"We are surprised to note that the criminal's age is being highlighted to prove innocence. Legally speaking, no adult is absolved of any crime to conspire with foreign elements inimical to India. In the instant case, age is immaterial, what matters is the series of actions that are naturally anti-national," they said.

The letter said that Ravi has been arrested for being a member of a group of conspirators that prepared a toolkit contains a document, meant for circulation among a few people to guide them on following various media houses, established fact checkers and NGOs and other groups to defame India in the ininternational forum and incite anti-social and anti-national acts by using some farmer groups protesting on the outskirts of Delhi.

There has been an attempt to incite violence in India just as the infamous 1984 statement saying 'the earth shakes when a big tree falls' caused havoc, the letter said.

"We appeal to the Central government that it should ensure that Delhi Police are able to conduct their investigation in a free and fair manner without any undue pressure from vested interests, and, to bring to book all those rogue elements who have allowed themselves to be used by secessionist forces in India and abroad, trying to spread anarchy and provide intellectual cover to anti-national forces to serve their own selfish ends," the letter said.

The letter was signed by Justice Permod Kohli, former Chief Justice of Sikkim; Raghavendra Auradkar (IPS), former DGP of Karnataka; V.S. Kokje, former Chief Justice of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh Governor; Rajendra Menon, former Chief Justice of Delhi and Patna High Court; S.M. Soni, former judge of Gujarat High Court and Lokayukt of Gujarat; and Nageshwar Rao (IPS), former CBI director.

The former officers pointed out that some sections of the people have raised the procedural aspect of police action which is nothing but false and mischievous propaganda to demoralise the investigating agency.

The Delhi Police had reportedly come to Bangalore with an arrest warrant against the conspirator and informed the jurisdictional police after her arrest.

"Both legally and operationally, it is not necessary to disclose their investigation to anyone. They have handed over the arrest panchnama to her mother and the jurisdictional police. The legal formalities have been adhered to by Delhi Police," they added.

"We remember that after the violence of January 26 this year, all concerned people, including the agitating kisan unions and political parties across the country, wanted free and fair investigation into the incident. The same very people are now objecting to the investigation for no valid reasons. Such a negative narrative by some activists and vested interests are sure to harm India's interest globally and is encouraging anti-India forces in other countries to thrash India," they added.

The officers strongly denounced the narrative being created by some individuals/organisations against the national interests.

"At this juncture it is the onerous duty of every citizen to unite against the forces of disruption against the country and to support all such actions of the government to protect the sovereignty and integrity of India," they said.

They also added that it is unfortunate that some so called intellectuals are trying to paint the incident of arrest of Disha as violation of the fundamental right of freedom of speech. Her actions are being defended even though such actions prima facie disclose a serious cognizable offence. Arrest in a cognizable offence is a normal sequence of events. "What is abnormal or different in this case is hue and cry being raised by these groups or individuals," they added.

It was pointed out that it has now been well established that the so called environmental activisthas been conspiring with banned anti national elements and persons who were acting in a manner which would adversely affect the friendly relations with foreign countries and create unrest affecting the public order in our country.

"In fact, with her arrest all the jigsaw pieces are falling into place as the Delhi Police had earlier too (before the Republic day Red Fort incident) raised a red flag on the content and IP addresses of some of the social media posts, especially Twitter, which has been used to foment trouble and to destabilise the country," they said.

Information available on open sources clearly establish that the toolkit document contains the list of persons or groups to be followed having linkages with ISI and Khalistani groups.

It is also reported by the media that the conspirators had a zoom meeting to use the ongoing farmers' agitation for disrupting public order. The meeting was attended by many pro-khalistani elements, including the founder of Poetic Justice Foundation and ISI agents.

The former law enforcement officers said that as per the definition of conspiracy in Section 120A of the Indian Penal Code, an agreement to do or cause to be done an illegal act or a legal act through illegal means is criminal conspiracy. It further says even an act besides the agreement is done by one or more parties to such agreement in pursuance thereof, it is a conspiracy.

"It is sickening to note that a few Indian citizens have actively engaged with banned elements & organisations who coordinated & perfected a plan to organise protests in front of all Indian Embassies, High Commissions and Consul-General offices in leading cities in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe to defame the Government of India by spreading false propaganda," as per the letter.