Support has been pouring in from across the country for Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami after he was assaulted an dragged out of his house by Mumbai police while arresting him in relation to a closed case of 2018. Protests are being held at very places in the country demanding the release of Arnab Goswami. All India Bar Association (AIBA) has written to the Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari condemning the arrest of Goswami in violation of Supreme Court guidelines regarding the rights of the arrestee.
All India Bar Association condemns arrest of @republic chief #ArnabGoswami . Writes to Maharashtra Governor @BSKoshyari asking for Arnab’s immediate release and called out the Maharashtra government’s “blatant misuse of power”. #Arnab pic.twitter.com/zb0hyJPmvn
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) November 4, 2020
A press release shared by the AIBA stated that the AIBA Chairman Dr. Adish Singh Aggarwala requesting the Governor to immediately release Goswami describing the act of Maharashtra government as “blatant misuse of power” and “an attack on individual freedom”. The press release listed the guidelines that were violated by Mumbai police in arresting Goswami.
Supreme Court letter writes to CJI
A Supreme Court Advocate Siddharth Acharya has written to the Chief Justice of India SA Bobde regarding the arrest of Goswami by Mumbai police.
A Supreme Court lawyer Siddharth Acharya writes to Chief Justice of India (CJI) requesting the CJI to take suo-moto cognizance in the arrest of @republic head #ArnabGoswami #Arnab #ArnabGoswamiArrested
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) November 4, 2020
Acharya requested the CJI to take suo moto cognisance of Goswami’s arrest describing Mumbai police action as ‘political vendetta’. He wrote that the ‘illegal’ arrest stank of pure political vendetta and was violation of law. Acharya wrote, “This is evident from the fact that Arnab was neither served prior summons nor allowed access to his legal team. Due process of law has not been followed while making the arrest. This is a direct and unprecedented attack on the freedom of speech and expression and freedom of press by Maharashtra government misusing Mumbai police”.
He said that this was a ‘gross abuse of state power for settling personal scores’. He requested the CJI to give directions to Mumbai police and Maharashtra government for his urgent release.
