The Maharashtra Police on Wednesday, 4 November, filed a fresh FIR against Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami for resisting police officials who came to arrest him.
Sections 353, 504, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) have been invoked in the new FIR has that been filed, reported the Hindustan Times.
Goswami was sent to 14-day judicial custody in an abetment of suicide case, while another FIR was registered against him for allegedly assaulting a lady police officer while he was being arrested, according to news agency ANI.
Quoting senior journalist, ANI said that he was “physically assaulted” by the police. The senior journalist reportedly claimed that his wife and son were also “assaulted” by the Mumbai cops.
What Is the Case Arnab Has Been Arrested in?
Goswami was arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 53-year-old interior designer Anvay Naik and the death of his mother Kumud Naik in 2018.
In a suicide note discovered by the local police, Naik said that he and his mother were in acute financial distress, which was why they had decided to take their lives.
According to the note, their financial troubles had been caused because large payments owed to his company Concorde Designs Pvt Ltd, had not been paid by three clients, including Arnab Goswami/Republic TV.
The amount owed is said to be Rs 83 lakh.
Goswami, along with two others, Niteish Sarda (Smartworks, owes Rs 55 lakh) and Feroz Shaikh (IcastX/Skimedia, owes Rs 4 crore), have been booked under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide), and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
How Has the Case Resurfaced Now?
Two years ago, the Alibaug police had filed a case in connection to the incident but in 2019 the case was closed by the Raigad Police.
In May 2020, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh announced a fresh CID investigation into the case of Naik’s death after his family approached the state government and complained that the Alibaug Police had not investigated the “non-payment of dues from Arnab Goswami’s Republic”.
What Does Republic TV Say?
In a statement released by Republic TV, the channel claimed that all relevant dues – amounting to 90 percent of the total value of the contract – had been paid.
The channel also said that it had made attempts to make a full and final settlement with Naik’s wife Akshata and daughter Adnya, but had not received a response from them.
The police are yet to release a statement regarding the incident.
(With inputs from ANI and Bar&Bench)
(If you feel suicidal or know someone in distress, please reach out to them with kindness and call these numbers of local emergency services, helplines, and mental health NGOs.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)