Editors Guild of Bengaluru issues statement condemning police action against Arnab Goswami of Republic TV. pic.twitter.com/WekD8unwPK
— Vishweshwar Bhat (@VishweshwarBhat) November 4, 2020
President of Editors Guild of Bengaluru on Wednesday released a press statement slamming the illegal and forceful arrest of Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami. President Vishweshwar Bhat in a video message condemned Mumbai Police’s act.
The press statement said that the Editors Guild of Bengaluru strongly condemns the act of Mumbai Police in a case which was closed a year ago. “We are at loss how can an Editor of repute be thrashed, pulled by hair, physically assaulted and dragged out of his residence and forcefully put inside the police van. Arnab is not a criminal, not a murderer and nor fugitive. What is highly objectionable and condemnable is that he was treated like a criminal. It reminds us of dark days of emergency.”
“There seems to be increasing tendencies of governments misusing their power and agencies to suppress the media freedom. Editors Guild of Bengaluru strongly condemns any such oppressive methods used by Center and various State governments on any media.”
In a shocking development at 7.45 am earlier in the day, the Mumbai Police barged into the house of Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and forcefully dragged him out while the cameras were turned off. The police personnel not only stopped Arnab from handing over medicines to his parents-in-law but also physically assaulted him and his son. The Mumbai Police told Republic TV that Arnab has been arrested under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code in a mocked-up case.
Ram Kadam writes to Maha CM, demands suspension of cops who assaulted Arnab Goswami
It may be recalled that fake charges of suicide were levelled against Arnab Goswami in 2018. However, it is pertinent to note that the aforesaid matter was closed by a court of law after the closure report by the police noted that no case was made out. Arnab was neither served prior summons nor allowed access to his legal team.
Speaking to the media outside the Alibag court, Arnab Goswami revealed that Pradeep Patil, encounter specialist Sachin Vaze and 7 other policemen assaulted him at his residence. He recalled that they surrounded him, held him by the scruff of his neck and pushed him. The Republic Media Network stands strongly against the Maharashtra government and condemns this murderous assault on the free press of a democratic India.
Petition filed with NHRC, MHRC against Arnab Goswami’s ‘unjust & unlawful’ arrest
Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami was arrested on Wednesday in a two-year-old suicide case in which investigations were reopened recently, the Mumbai police said. Several Union Ministers are among those who have condemned the arrest as a reminder of the Emergency, when the Indira Gandhi government cracked down on the media.
“Congress and its allies have shamed democracy once again. Blatant misuse of state power against Republic TV and Arnab Goswami is an attack on individual freedom and the 4th pillar of democracy. It reminds us of the Emergency. This attack on free press must be and WILL BE OPPOSED,” tweeted Home Minister Amit Shah as reports emerged of Arnab Goswami’s arrest.
“We 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 this,” posted Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar.
Mr Goswami alleged that he was manhandled and assaulted by the police at his Mumbai home before being pushed into their van. He showed injuries to his arm.
News agency ANI quoted him as saying that Mumbai Police “physically assaulted his mother-in-law and father-in-law, son and wife”. In videos aired by Republic TV, policemen were seen holding him as they were attempting to take him away. The cops, however, charged him with assaulting a woman officer in a separate case. He was sent to 14 days of judicial custody later.
The Republic Editor-in-Chief has been arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 53-year-old architect and interior designer, Anvay Naik, and his mother, in 2018.
The architect had reportedly named Mr Goswami in a suicide note and had accused Republic TV of not paying him his dues after he designed the channel’s set-up.
The police closed the case two years ago, allegedly under pressure.
Two others named in the note, Feroz and Nitesh Sharda, were also arrested.
In May, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had announced that the suicide was being reinvestigated after a fresh complaint by Adnya Naik, the architect’s daughter.
“Arnab kept saying arrests should be made in the Sushant Singh Rajput suicide case where there was no suicide note. My husband left behind a suicide note naming Arnab and two others but no arrests were made. How is this fair,” Anvay Naik’s wife Akshata said to reporters.
