Arnab Goswami’s Interrogation Ends, Says ‘Will Fight in Courts’

Arnab Goswami has been summoned to the Pydhonie police station at 11 am on 10 June. 

(Photo: The Quint/Kamran Akhter)

After the interrogation of Republic TV's Arnab Goswami at Mumbai's NM Joshi Marg Police Station ended on Wednesday, 10 June, the journalist said he has "extended full cooperation" and will now take the fight to the courts.

According to Republic TV, the interrogation on Wednesday was in connection with the Bandra migrant gathering case.

The Mumbai police had summoned Goswami for questioning over an FIR filed against him for his remarks that allegedly gave a communal angle to the Bandra migrant gathering. The FIR in this case was registered against Goswami on 2 May.

Several FIRs have also been registered again Goswami for allegedly defaming Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

He had filed petitions in the high court, seeking quashing of FIRs against him at the NM Joshi Marg and the Pydhonie police stations.

A petition was heard via video conferencing in the Bombay High Court, during which Goswami's request for exemption from appearing before the police for interrogation was denied, reported The Indian Express.

"I proved that the clip which the police showed me was out of context. I proved that they attempted to use 2 or 3 percent of the programme against me. When I started proving that the entire case is fabricated, then the IO (investigating officer) said that we will call you again. I said that it is not correct to expose myself at the time of COVID-19 crisis. I told them to ask whatever they want. It seems they did not have anything to ask. They said that they will conduct more investigation on me and will call me later... I will fight it in the courts now... I have extended full cooperation [sic]," Goswami was quoted as saying after the interrogation on Wednesday.

Arnab Goswami arrives at NM Joshi police station.(Photo: ANI)

The interrogation on Wednesday comes over a month after the police questioned him for over 12 hours over an FIR filed against him, for his comments on the Palghar mob lynching case and his comments against Sonia Gandhi.

Goswami was accused of making “defamatory remarks” against Gandhi and promoting enmity between groups.

The Supreme Court on 19 May had rejected a request by Goswami to transfer the investigations into the cases against him from the Maharashtra Police to the CBI. The apex court held that the police have the right to investigate these cases, and that this case did not satisfy any of the grounds for ordering a transfer.

The judgment stated, "The displeasure of an accused person about the manner in which the investigation proceeds or an unsubstantiated allegation (as in the present case) of a conflict of interest against the police conducting the investigation must not derail the legitimate course of law and warrant the invocation of the extraordinary power of this Court to transfer an investigation to the CBI."