Arnab Goswami Arrested
The Maharashtra Police on Wednesday arrested Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami house in connection with the suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik in Alibaug in 2018.
Republic TV in its report claimed that Goswami was “assaulted and dragged” during the arrest. Goswami reportedly said that Mumbai Police also physically assaulted his mother-in-law and father-in-law, son and wife.
Meanwhile Several Union Ministers are among those who have condemned the arrest as a reminder of the Emergency.
“Congress and its allies have shamed democracy once again. Blatant misuse of state power against Republic TV and Arnab Goswami is an attack on individual freedom and the 4th pillar of democracy. It reminds us of the Emergency. This attack on free press must be and WILL BE OPPOSED,” tweeted Home Minister Amit Shah as reports emerged of Arnab Goswami’s arrest.
“We condemn the attack on press freedom in Maharashtra. This is not the way to treat the Press. This reminds us of the emergency days when the press was treated like this,” posted Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar.
Naik, a 53-year-old interior designer, and his mother Kumud Naik had died by suicide in May 2018. A suicide note purportedly written by Naik claimed that Goswami and two others owed him Rs 5.4 crore and had refused to pay it back, forcing him to take the extreme step.
The monetary transaction had taken place during the construction of Republic TV studio. When Naik’s mother learned about Naik’s death, she too killed herself.
The Alibaug police had registered a case of abetment to suicide the same month but the case was reportedly closed by the Raigad police in 2019.
But in May this year the Maharashtra government ordered a fresh investigation into the case against Goswami and two others by the state Criminal Investigation Department.
