Republic TV news editor and anchor Arnab Goswami was granted protection from arrest by the Supreme Court on Friday in the breach of privilege case moved against him by the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde observed that attempts to prevent citizens from exercising their rights under Article 32 would amount to serious interference with the administration of justice.
The apex court also issued show cause notice to the Secretary of the Maharashtra Assembly for writing a letter to Goswami, allegedly “intimidating” him for approaching the Supreme Court with the proceedings of the motion, which were confidential. It observed that the letter written on October 13 was sent to Goswami to deter the journalist from moving the Supreme Court.
“The officer says ‘how did you file this notice in the Supreme Court. How dare he?’ No one can be stopped from approaching this court,” the court said.
“The intention of the officer seems to be to intimidate the petitioner because he moved the Supreme Court and to threaten him with penalty for doing so. The officer would have been well advised that the right to approach this court under Article 32 is itself a fundamental right,” it further said.
The court also asked the Maharashtra Assembly secretary to be personally present and explain why contempt of court action should not be initiated against him for the same.
The breach of privilege case was moved against the editor-in-chief of Republic News Media by the Shiv Sena in both houses of the state assembly for criticising the Maharashtra government and its inaction in the Sushant Singh Rajput case.
On Wednesday, Goswami was arrested from his residence in Mumbai for allegedly abetting the suicide of architect and interior designer Anvay Naik in 2018, and taken to the Alibaug police station in Raigad district. He was produced before a magistrate court, which remanded him in judicial custody till November 18.
He has also moved the Bombay High Court against the “illegal arrest”, seeking a stay to the investigation and a direction to the police to release him.
(With PTI inputs)
