The Bombay High Court on Thursday refused to grant relief to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in the 2018 abetment to suicide case, saying it would hear both sides on Friday at 3 pm.
Bar and Bench reported that the court wanted to hear the other side and said, “There are other litigants, matters pending. We are ready to examine, but we have to keep in mind that we have not issued notice, respondents should get opportunity to reply.”
While Goswami wanted the charges quashed, the court has refused to do so.
The Indian Express quoted senior counsel Harish Salve, who appeared for Goswami as saying, “Will heavens fall in Maharashtra if he is released on interim bail When liberties of a citizen are involved procedures sometimes have to be dealt with.”
Goswami and two others, Feroz Shaikh and Nitesh Sarda, were sent to 14-day judicial custody by a magistrate court late on Wednesday in connection with the 2018 Anvay Naik suicide case.
Goswami was arrested from his home on Wednesday by the Mumbai police on charges of abetment to suicide.
Hindustan Times reported that his lawyers have moved a bail plea with the Alibag magistrate court that sent him to judicial custody.
One of the lawyers, Aabad Ponda, was quoted by the newspaper as saying on Wednesday, “The court asked the police to file their reply and posted it for hearing tomorrow (Thursday).”
Naik, who was an architect and an interior designer, had named Goswami in a suicide note saying he had not been paid for the work he did for Republic TV.
The NCP, meanwhile, called for former Maharashtra chief minister to be made co-accused in the case.
The Indian Express quoted NCP state spokesperson Umesh Patil, “From the press conference of Naik’s family, it has become clear that pressure was… put on them to sign papers related to closure of the suicide case. Since at that time, the Home ministry portfolio was with then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, he should be made a co-accused in the case. The police officials who tried to pressure Naik family should also be made co-accused.”
Goswami was booked under section 306 (abetment of suicide) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
PTI quoted a remand application by the police as saying, “The probe in the case after it was reopened began on October 15 during which the statements of the deceased person Anvay Naik’s wife and daughter were recorded before a magistrate.”
The report said notices were issued to 28 persons, and statements of 17 of them, including Naik’s accountant and employees, have been recorded.
“We have received fresh and positive information from these statements which warrants further probe,” the police told PTI.
However, Ponda has alleged that this was part of a “vendetta” against Goswami.
“The entire arrest is illegal. He (Goswami) has been arrested based on an investigation which is completely illegal. This is not a case where he should have been picked up in this manner as if he is a hardened criminal,” Ponda was quoted by PTI as saying.
A closure report had been filed in this case and hence the delayed police action smacks of malafide, he said.
The prosecution argued that Goswami and the other two accused did not cooperate with the probe.
“Goswami is the editor of a television news channel and can influence common people. The statements of employees of the company owned by Goswami that runs the channel need to be recorded. If the accused is released then there is a chance of him influencing these witnesses,” the police said.
(With PTI inputs)