Arnab Goswami arrested as Maha Police reopens abetment to suicide case

The Maharashtra Polices Raigad unit on Wednesday morning raided the home of Republic TV owner in Worli and arrested its Chief Editor Arnab Goswami in an abetment to suicide case of 53yearold interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud NaikA senior police officer Sachin Vaze said that Goswami was arrested in the abetment to suicide case of 2018 which had been closed earlier and has now been reopenedA senior police official has confirmed that Republic television editor in chief ArnabGoswami will now be taken to Alibaug pictwittercomK3315czBI3mdash Mid Day mid_day November 4 2020A police team swooped on the Republic TVs chief and picked him up from his home even as his family protested while his colleagues started rushing to the spot for live coverage The CID and crime branch team were also present during the raidArnab Goswami was produced before the RaigadAlibaug district court He was taken for a medical checkup after he claimed before the magistrate that he was assaulted by the police The hearing has been adjourned The court will pronounce its order after the medical report is outFormer BJP MP Kirit Somaiya reached the court and attempted to stop the vehicle in which Arnab was being taken to the hospital for a medical checkupThe channel strongly slammed the move for parading the editor of a top Indian news channel like a criminal pulled by the hair threatened not allowed to drink water after 2030 policemen barged thereSpeaking from one of the vehicles Goswami said he was assaulted even as his shaken colleagues made direct emotional appeals to Supreme Court and High Court judges seeking justice for what was happening right in the middle of Mumbai in a telecast of the developmentsGoswami managed to speak from a police van that he was assaulted his son was beaten and his inlaws were pushed aside and he was likely to be taken to Alibaug in RaigadUnion Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar tweeted ldquoWe 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 thisrdquoWe 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 thisPIB_India DDNewslive republicmdash Prakash Javadekar PrakashJavdekar November 4 2020We condemn the Congress led by Sonia Gandhi amp Rahul Gandhi for its fascist and emergency mindset which is on display in Maharashtra republicmdash Prakash Javadekar PrakashJavdekar November 4 2020Union minister Smriti Irani tweeted ldquoThose in the free press who donrsquot stand up today in support of Arnab you are now tactically in support of fascismrdquoThose in the free press who donrsquot stand up today in support of Arnab you are now tactically in support of fascism You may not like him you may not approve of himyou may despise his very existence but if you stay silent you support suppression Who speaks if you are next mdash Smriti Z Irani smritiirani November 4 2020Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Congress and its allies have shamed democracy once againCongress and its allies have shamed democracy once againBlatant misuse of state power against Republic TV amp Arnab Goswami is an attack on individual freedom and the 4th pillar of democracyIt reminds us of the Emergency This attack on free press must be and WILL BE OPPOSEDmdash Amit Shah AmitShah November 4 2020Meanwhile Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that law is followed in Maharashtra ldquoPolice can take action if they have evidence against anyone Since the formation of Thackeray government no action has been taken against anyone for revengerdquo Raut saidMaharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said nobody is above the law ldquoMaharashtra government has acted as per the law Anvay Naikrsquos wife had moved an application in court to reopen the case and the court granted the permissionrdquo Deshmukh saidIn May this year Deshmukh had announced that a reinvestigation has been ordered on a fresh complaint by Adnya Naik daughter of the Anvay NaikDeshmukh had said Adnya alleged that the Alibaug police had not investigated the alleged nonpayment of dues from Goswamis channel which she claimed drove her father and grandmother to suicide in May 2018 In his suicide note Anvay Naik claimed that Goswami and two other persons owed him Rs 54 crore due to which he is taking this drastic stepCondemning the arrest of Arnab Goswami the Editors Guild of India said ldquoThe Guild calls upon Maharashtra CM to ensure that Goswami is treated fairly and state power is not used against critical reporting by mediardquoWith inputs from Vishal Singh and Faizan KhanKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay 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