In a new development, the Mumbai police have served a show-cause notice to the Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami for allegedly making ‘communal statements’ in the aftermath of the Palghar lynching case and Bandra migrant overcrowding incident. He had reportedly been asked to appear before the Special Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Worli) at 4 pm on Sunday.
While continuing with the witch-hunt against Republic TV Editor, Mumbai police have demanded Goswami to sign a bond for ‘good behaviour.’ Invoking Section 108 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), Assistant Police Commissioner (Worli) Sudhir Jambavdekar had demanded the signing of a bond to ensure good behaviour.
The Assistant CP exercised his power as an Executive Magistrate which empowers him to demand ‘security for good behaviour’ from someone, suspected of publishing communally sensitive material. As per reports, Arnab Goswami has been directed to show cause as to why he should not pay the bond value of ₹10 lacs for a one-year-period with a guarantor, who is well-known in society and capable of controlling Arnab’s behaviour.
Supreme Court grants bail to Arnab Goswami
On November 11, a Supreme Court bench comprising of Justice Chandrachud and Justice Indu Malhotra hearing the petition said that Bombay High Court made an error in rejecting the application for grant of interim bail on technical grounds. Granting the bail to Arnab Goswami, the apex court also directed the Raigad police to ensure the compliance of the order of release of Arnab Goswami forthwith. Goswami was arrested last week by the Mumbai Police after it had reopened 2018 abatement of the suicide case of an architect, Anvay Naik.
The Supreme Court also asked Arnab Goswami and two other accused to execute a personal bond for an amount of Rs 50,000 for release on interim bail. Justice Chandrachud, hearing the plea had made scathing observations saying, “If we don’t interfere in this case today we will walk on path of destruction. If left to me I won’t watch the channel and you may differ in ideology but Constitutional courts will have to protect such freedoms”.
