Arnnob Goswami Hampering Investigation, Browbeating Police’ : Maharastra Govt Files Application in Apex Court Against Interim Protection.
(Judicial Quest News Network)
The Magarashtra Governmenent has filed an Application in Apex Court on Behlaf of the Deputy Commissioner of Mumbai (Zone III) alleging that the Arnob Goswami, Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV, was “browbeating” the police.
The Application furtehr states that he (Arnob Goswami) is “creating fear psychosis” and created an impression that police are biased against him.
On April 24, the Republic TV Editor-in-Chief was granted interim protection by Supreme Court directing police not to take any coercieve step against him for a period of 3 weeks in the light of multiple FIRs filed against the him, allegein defamation against Congress Leader Sonia Gandhi as well as for Communal statements on his daily Show.
The Application states that after Mumbai Police questioned Goswami for the FIR lodged against him in Nagpur by Congress leader Nitin Raut, a show aired on ‘Republic Bharat’ cast aspersions on the Mumbai Police by alleging that it was not investigating the FIR lodged by Goswami, as it was “biased”.
The application reads,
“An announcement on Republic Bharat stated that Goswami was interogated by the police with regard to the said FIR, but that with regard to petitioner’s FIR, the police refused to register either assault or conspiracy and were covering up the matter.”
The applicant furthermore says that on his debate show “Puchta hai Bharath” Goswami made several “Flase Statements against the Commissioner of Mumbai Police stating that he had suppressed Arnob’s FIRs and that he “he was involoved with India Bulls which is a scam and that the he (Arnob) is investigating India Bulls”
the staements made in the debate on his Republic Bharat Channel are aimed at browbeating, terrorising and intimidating the investigating Officer,,,,” The Application reads.
The application contends that these actions of Goswami show an “extremely disturbing state of affairs” and has deinigrated the “Institution of Police”. Abusing and misusing his position as a Journalist and Editor-in Chief of Republic TV.
The Application further states that it is pertinent to note that the petitioner has chosen to make statements against the Commissioner of Police,Mumbai, for the first time on 28th April 2020, only after the investigation into the said FIR was trenasferred to Mumbai from Nagpur under an order of this Hon’abl Court and the Commissioner of Police of Mumbai was not concerned with the registeration of the said FIR. No.
While telecast of that debate he also tried to create a flase impression that the said Ploice chief is involoved in India Bulls scam and he (Arnob) will investigate the said scam and reveal the alleged complicity on his Channel “his appears to be aimed solely at brobeating the investigating officer by creating a fear psychosis that they would also face direr consequences and would be publicly ridiculed, if they proceed for the investigations in the two FIRs, onelodged by the petitioner and one lodged against him, against his dictated.”
In these circumstances the Maharashtra Government has urged the Apex court that this is a “ a Fit case where the court should take seriouse cognizance of the endeeavours made by the petitioner to browbeat the police officer.” The application goes on to state.
In the wake of aforegoing, that the act and conduct of the petitioner would tantamount to the encroaching upon the area of investigation as aslo subjecting the entire criminal justice system to ridicule..It is indeed a well setteled principle of law,equity and justice that an Investigating Officer an arm of the Law and plays a pivotal role in deispensation of criminal justice.The area of investigation is the prerogative of the police and tha obligation and duty must be carried out without any fera or favour and without bein browbeating or denigrated.
The Application has been filed by Advocate Sachin Patil.
