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This is an archive article published on December 19, 2024
Karnataka High Court stays probe against Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami in fake news case
The HC stay comes on a case regarding a news broadcast by Republic Kannada channel on March 27 which said that traffic on Bengaluru's MG Road was stopped to make way for CM Siddaramaiah, resulting in an ambulance getting stuck in the traffic.
The complaint filed under Section 505 (2) (for creating enmity) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) alleged that fake news had been broadcast ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to mislead the public. (File)
The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday passed an interim stay on criminal proceedings initiated against Arnab Goswami, Republic TV editor-in-chief and managing director, in a fake news case. The matter was heard on Tuesday afternoon by a bench consisting of Justice M Nagaprasanna of the Bengaluru bench, in response to a petition by Goswami to quash the proceedings.
The case pertains to a complaint regarding a news report broadcast by Republic Kannada channel on March 27 which said that traffic on Bengaluru’s MG Road was stopped to clear the way for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, resulting in an ambulance getting stuck in the traffic.
The Indian Express had earlier reported that Congress member Ravindra in his petition filed against Goswami and Republic Kannada editor Niranjan had pointed out that Siddaramaiah was actually in Mysuru at the time of the alleged incident.
The complaint filed under Section 505 (2) (for creating enmity) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) alleged that fake news had been broadcast ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to mislead the public.
Goswami’s counsel stated, “505 (2) is not attracted assuming entire material (is correct)…..only by a few minutes oversight it was on air and then there was an apology”.
“The petitioner is hauled into these proceedings for offence punishable under 505 (2) of the IPC….the crux of the allegation is a news item aired on Republic TV Kannada where the information about public suffering due to….movement of the CM. The news appeared to be a canard. Immediately after, the news is deleted. All this happens within 24 hours. By then the respondent has sought to register the crime against the petitioner….it is ununderstandable as to how 505(2) could spring as to its remotest sense in the case at hand. If such reckless registrations were permitted to be continued, it would be an abuse of process of law,” the bench stated.
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