Arnab Goswami - Do Not Make It Live
Republic TV owner and Chief Editor Arnab Goswami. Pic/Atul Kamble
After Republic TV owner and Chief Editor Arnab Goswami underwent a medical test, the Raigad-Alibaug district court resumed for hearing. Responding to Goswami's allegations that he was assaulted, the public prosecutor told the court that there is a minor scratch on his hand as he was resisting when the police team visited his home.
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In its defence, Raigad police said that Goswami was not cooperating with them and he even pushed the officers. Adding to his woes, another FIR has been registered against Goswami under section 353 (Assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) of IPC at NM Joshi Marg police station.
Earlier in the day, Goswami was arrested in an abetment to suicide case of 53-year-old interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik. Addressing the media, senior police officer Sachin Vaze said that Goswami was arrested in the abetment to suicide case of 2018, which had been closed earlier and has now been reopened.
After being arrested, Goswami was produced before the Raigad-Alibaug district court. Later, he was taken for a medical check-up after he claimed before the magistrate that he was assaulted by the police. Speaking from a police van, the Republic TV chief alleged that he was assaulted, his son was beaten and his in-laws were pushed aside, as he was likely to be taken to Alibaug.
Goswami receives support:
As Goswami spoke, his colleagues made emotional appeals to the Supreme Court and High Court judges "seeking justice" for what was happening with the Republic TV editor. Support poured in from all corners for him after he was arrested and taken to Raigad. BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya reached the court and attempted to stop the vehicle in which Arnab was being taken to the hospital for a medical check-up.
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that it is not the way to treat the Press while Home Minister Amit Shah said that Goswami's arrest reminded him of "the emergency". Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organised protests across the state to condemn the action. The protestors carried banners, posters, and raised slogans against the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for running a "vendetta campaign against a journalist who had exposed" the state regime boldly.
Maharashtra government defends action:
Defending the state government's actions, Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that law is followed in Maharashtra while Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that nobody is above the law. Transport Minister Anil Parab said that the BJP party is worried as "their pet parrot, in whom many lives are trapped, is now in the cage." State Congress Spokesperson Sachin Sawant slammed Home Minister Amit Shah and said, "Democracy is shamed when the accused is not even called for recording his statement at the place of the incident."
Condemning the arrest of Arnab Goswami, the Editors Guild issued a statement stating: "The Guild calls upon Maharashtra CM to ensure that Goswami is treated fairly and state power is not used against critical reporting by media."
Abetment to suicide case:
After the Raigad Police filed a closure report last year, the Maharashtra Police reopened the double-suicide case of architect Anvay Naik, 53, and his mother Kumud Naik, in her 70s - both directors of Concorde Designs Pvt. Ltd.
The mother-son duo were found hanging at their Alibaug bungalow on May 5, 2018. They left behind a suicide note, in which they stated that they resorted to the extreme step owing to unpaid dues from three companies, including Arnab Goswami's Republic TV (Rs 83 lakh), Feroz Shaikh of IcastX/Skimedia (Rs 4 crore), and Niteish Sarda of Smartworks (Rs 55 lakh).
(With inputs from Vishal Singh and Faizan Khan)
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