Arnab Goswami to remain in jail or bail? Hearing today in Bombay HC on bail application

Mumbai : In a two-year-old case of abetment to suicide, Mumbai Police arrested Arnab Goswami, editor of Republic TV, on Wednesday morning. Late in the evening, Arnab Goswami appeared in a court in Alibaug in Raigad district, after which the court sent him to judicial custody for 14 days till November 18. Arnab is accused of abetting the suicide of Anvay Naik and his mother in 2018. The remand order was given after a marathon hearing of about six hours. However, Arnab’s lawyer has filed a bail petition in the Bombay High Court, which is likely to be heard today.

After the court sent Arnab Goswami to judicial custody, his lawyers Aabad Ponda and Gaurav Parkar filed a petition for bail in the Bombay High Court and challenged Arnab’s arrest. According to lawyer Ponda, the court has asked the police to file their reply and listed the matter for hearing on Thursday. Lawyer Ponda said that Arnab Goswami was kept in the police station at night due to the delay in the proceedings.

On Wednesday morning, a team of Alibag police arrested Arnab Goswami from his house in Lower Parel. Police said Alibag police arrested Goswami under Sections 306 and 34. This arrest has been made in a case related to the suicide of a man and his mother in 2018. We also have evidence against him. He said, when we informed Goswami’s wife about his arrest, she tore the papers. Goswami was produced before a local court as soon as he reached Alibaug, 90 km from Mumbai.

The senior journalist’s lawyer accused Goswami of assault, after which the court asked the police to take Arnab to the civil hospital for medical examination. Goswami’s lawyer Gaurav Parkar said that Goswami was produced in Alibag’s magistrate court, where he accused the police team that had entered his house in the morning to physically assault him. The magistrate took cognizance of the allegations and directed the police to take Arnab to the civil hospital for medical examination.

Apart from Urban Goswami, two other accused arrested for abetment of suicide are Feroz Mohammed Sheikh and Nitesh Sarada. He was produced in court and remanded to judicial custody till 18 November.

What is the whole matter:
In 2018, 53-year-old interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother committed suicide. The CID is investigating this case. Anvay’s wife Akshata had alleged that her husband had done interior work in Republic TV’s studio. 500 laborers were employed for this, but Arnab did not pay Rs 5.40 crore later. This led to his family being strapped. Troubled, Anvay committed suicide with his elderly mother. Anvay also allegedly accused Arnab and two others in the suicide note. In May this year, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh announced to order a re-investigation on the basis of a new complaint by Anu Naik, the daughter of architect Anvay Naik. Deshmukh said that Anu has alleged that the Alibaug police did not investigate Goswami’s channel for non-payment of dues. She claims that it is because of this that his father and grandmother committed suicide in May 2018.