Umamageswari Maruthappan
The Bombay High Court Bench Justices S S Shinde and Manish Pitale has further postponed the hearing of the TRP Scam. The dates vary from matter to matter.
The matter regarding interim protection for Arnab Goswami and other employees of AGR Media will be heard on 5th March 2021 whereas the pleadings of AGR against the police investigation is adjourned to 16th March. Goswami’s petition to nullify the 2018 abetment of suicide case registered against him is will also be heard on 5th March.
The High Court Bench was hearing the TRP Scam Case. After observing the arguments of both the sides, it decides to adjourn the matter but with the State Government’s assurance of maintaining the ‘no coercive action’ statement. Accordingly, the State’s Counsel, Adv. Kapil Sibal agreed to it.
During the hearing, Sibal stated that the opponent, AGR Media’s Counsel Adv. Harish Salve was referring to some new additional documents that were previously not a part of the petition.
Adv. Sibal sought more time to respond to those documents and preferred that Mr. Salve should not depend on those for now. However, Salve insisted on depending upon the documents.
While postponing the case, the Court is to hear the 5th March matter through video conferencing but preferred to hear the 16th March issue physically. However, Adv. Salve reported that he is unlikely to be able to attend because of his Covid-19 Vaccination.
The Court intervened and questioned the Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh about the vaccination for other judges and advocates.
The matter concerning the TRP Scam was revealed in October 2020 after the complaint of Hansa Research Group. The Mumbai Police investigated into the matter and filed chargesheet against Republic TV and its Editor in Chief, Arnab Goswami.
However, AGR Outlier Media Ltd, the parent company that owns Republic Channels, denied the allegations and stated that the complaints against the TV and Goswami was deliberately made with malicious intention and that there is no established evidence to accuse either the Channel or Goswami.
