The Maharashtra government has approached the Supreme Court, accusing Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami of “browbeating” investigators by “creating fear psychosis”. (File)
Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami has approached the Supreme Court again over a fresh FIR by Mumbai police in connection with a TV show on the gathering of migrants outside Bandra railway station on April 14.
Contending that the “FIR is politically motivated” and that Mumbai Police “harbors ill-will and malice towards” him, Goswami has sought protection from coercive action and quashing of the FIR.
The FIR was lodged on a complaint by secretary of Raza Educational Welfare Society, Irfan Abubakar Shaikh, alleging that Goswami tried to create hatred against Muslims through the show.
Read| Maharashtra government moves apex court, says Arnab Goswami browbeating investigators
Denying the charge, Goswami has said in his plea, “Republic TV was the first TV channel to report the fact that political interest groups, mainly leaders of the Congress were spreading false news and orchestrating lockdown violations in Mumbai… was matter of national concern.”
Goswami is also learnt to have moved a separate application, seeking stay on the investigation in an earlier FIR against him regarding a TV show on Palghar lynching or transfer of the investigation outside Maharashtra. In that show, he had posed certain questions on the incident to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, following which Congress workers lodged complaints against him in various states.
Read| Two Youth Congress workers held for targeting Arnab Goswami
On April 24, while hearing a plea by Goswami, the Supreme Court granted him protection for three weeks from coercive action in connection with these FIRs. The court had stayed all FIRs against him, except one registered in Nagpur. The court transferred that FIR to Mumbai to be investigated with the FIR regarding the alleged attack on Goswami and his wife.
On May 2, the state government approached the Supreme Court, accusing Goswami of ‘’browbeating” the investigators.
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