Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami was on Wednesday arrested by the Local Crime Branch (LCB) of Raigad in the abetment to suicide case of Anvay Naik. He was found dead at the first floor of his farmhouse in Alibag, had left a suicide note accusing Mr. Goswami, Feroz Shaikh of icastX/Skimedia and Neetish Sarda of Smartworks for not paying dues amounting to ₹5.40 crore for interior work, due to which his firm, Concorde Designs Private Limited, suffered severe losses. Mr. Goswami alone owed him around ₹84 lakh.
“After reopening the case, it was transferred to LCB. We then investigated and found more evidence. Mr. Goswami had attempted to transfer the money into Naik’s account after his death, but the bank rejected as the account holder was not alive. This showed that he actually owed the money,” police inspector Jamil Shaikh of the LCB said.
“We immediately informed this act of his wife to our superiors,” Mr. Jamil Shaikh said.
The Editors Guild of India has condemned the arrest of Mr. Goswami. "Goswami was arrested from his Mumbai residence on reportedly an abetment to suicide case. We condemn the sudden arrest and find it extremely distressing," the Guild said.
According to the report, Mumbai police have detained Arnab Goswami in 2016 in connection with the deaths of interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik.
Arnab has accused the Mumbai police of attacking him, according to a report in the ANI.
"Mumbai police have entered the residence of Republican TV editor Arnab Goswami and tried to stop him. Arnab Goswami said he had been physically abused by Mumbai police. Arnab also alleged that in addition to attacking him, Mumbai police had physically abused his mother-in-law and father-in-law, son and wife.
According to a senior police official, Arnab will now be taken to Alibag for questioning.
Republic TV was funded in part by Asianet (ARG Outlier Asianet News Private Limited), which was primarily funded by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a then-independent member of Rajya Sabha who had intricate links with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was vice-chairman of the National Democratic Alliance in Kerala.
Its impact was found on politics. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has tweeted, "Congress and its allies have shamed democracy once again.
Blatant misuse of state power against Republic TV & Arnab Goswami is an attack on individual freedom and the 4th pillar of democracy".
Also in reaction BJP MLA Ram Kadam said while speaking to Republic TV. "It is very unfortunate that the Maharashtra government has suddenly imposed this situation. A large number of Police personnel carrying guns and AK47 have barged into the house of a senior respected journalist and treated him like a criminal or rather a terrorist is very unfortunate and unjust. This act of the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Government is very bad. The citizens of India will not like this conduct and their actions will be condemned. Even now, I request the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police to not mistreat a journalist like this. I vehemently condemn this conduct,".
He further added, "The conduct of the state government and Mumbai Police in the last weeks, mistreating Republic's Editor-in-chief Arnab Ji even though he has been cooperating is shameful. This should be condemned, and I stand against such actions. I strongly condemn such behaviour and disapprove of such conduct by the state government. The way the Mumbai Police personnel have treated him (Arnab Goswami) is very wrong and I request them to stop this immediately."
There are various bjp members who have raised their voice against the step by Mumbai police.
Comments
Post a Comment