After almost 6 hours of hearing, the Bombay High Court reserved its judgment in a petition filed to challenge Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami’s arrest. While withholding the verdict in the ad-interim plea filed by Arnab Goswami, the court said that it could not pass an order today as it was already 6 PM. The Republic Media Network Managing Director had filed the plea requesting to declare his arrest as illegal, and also sought interim release from jail.
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Bombay High Court to start hearing at 12 PM the petition filed by #ArnabGoswami against his arrest and custody in the 2018 abetment to suicide case.
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The court said that it could not pass an order today citing the considerations and compilations submitted to them. The court added that it will pronounce the orders someday in the next week.
Senior advocate Harish Salve cited the precedent of the Jagisha Arora’s habeas case where the Supreme Court ordered the release of Prashant Kanojia from custody last year. Salve argued that similar to Kanjia’s case, his client, Arnab Goswami, too, should be granted bail. However, the court refused to grant a verdict in the case, adding that the pendency of the petition will not bar the petitioner from approaching the sessions court for bail and if such an application is filed, it should be decided within 4 days.
The prime argument raised in the HC petition is that the police has no power to suo moto re-open the case without getting a judicial order after the Magistrate passed a closure order in the case in 2019 based on the report submitted by police. The defence lawyers contended that action of the police officers to re-start the investigation in the case were illegal and hence the accused ought to be released.
On Friday, after hearing Arnab Goswami’s counsel, the division bench of Bombay High Court, comprising Justices S S Shinde and M S Karnik, had adjourned the plea of Republic TV’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami that sought revocation of the 2018 abetment of suicide case in which he has been arrested. The Bombay HC on Friday had said that the court needs to hear the other side before coming to a conclusion. Arnab Goswami also sought interim release from jail. The hearing had started on 5th November, a day after Raigad court had rejected the plea for police remand had sent him to judicial custody of 14 days.
Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami arrested, he files habeas corpus petition
After being manhandled at his residence by Raigad police cops who came to arrest him at his house on November 4th in relation to a two-year-old closed case, Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami had filed a plea before the Bombay High Court challenging his arrest by the police.
The plea in the Bombay High Court came after Mumbai Police had arbitrarily started re-investigation in the 2018 closed case of interior designer Anvay Naik’s suicide on the direction of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.
In the plea filed by him before the Bombay High Court, Goswami said that his arrest was conducted in blatant violation of his fundamental rights to life and personal liberty and his dignity guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. He had alleged that he was forced out of his residence by around 20 officials of Mumbai police and was dragged into the vehicle and his son was also assaulted.
In his plea, Goswami had sought an urgent interim stay on the re-investigation in the 2018 FIR lodged at Alibaug police station in which he was accused of abetment to suicide of Naik. He had asked the court to the issuance of a writ of Habeas Corpus directing Alibaug police to produce him in court claiming that his arrest and detention was illegal because the case was closed.
Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami arrested
Continuing their witch-hunt against Republic TV chief, the Mumbai Police on Wednesday arrested Arnab Goswami. The Mumbai Police reached Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami’s residence on Wednesday and physically manhandled him as they tried to detain him in a 2018 abetment to suicide case that was already closed.
A team of Mumbai Police arrested Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami after they physically assaulted and dragged him by grabbing his hair. In a shocking act, a large contingent of Mumbai Police was seen present at Goswami’s residence on Wednesday morning. In the below video, it can be seen how officials of the Mumbai Police were manhandling the Republic TV chief.
In May 2018, an FIR was filed against Arnab Goswami after an interior designer had committed suicide in Mumbai. In a suicide note, Anvay Naik claimed Goswami owed him a total of Rs 5.4 crore. However, Goswami was investigated and case was closed by court after a closure report was filed by the Police.
