Sushree Mohanty
The Bombay High Court has allowed for the exemption to Republic TV editor in chief Arnab Goswami from personal appearance in an Alibaug court in regards to the abetment of suicide case..
The decision comes after the Chef Judicial Magistrate of Alibaug directed Goswami to appear in the abetment to suicide case of Anvay Naik, an interior designer
The Chief Judicial Magistrate had earlier declined to allow any exemption from personal appearance to Goswami.
However the two-judge bench comprising Justices SS Shinde and Manish Pitale allowed the substitute ad-interim relief on an amended request filed by Goswami.
The interim sought to subdue First Information Report (FIR) and charge sheet filed against him in the interior designer’s suicide case.
Goswami had additionally requested for exclusion from personal appearance till his plea was decided, citing that he apprehends false implications and possibility of illegal arrest against him.
The Republic TV editor in chief has accused the State of Maharashtra authorities and police personnel for filing a charge sheet against him under undue political pressure and re-investigating the case with a malafide intent.
Goswami has further accused Home Minister Anil Deshmukh for making outrageous statements against him maligning his image and has alleged that he has influenced the police to investigate him under false charges.
The Advocates representing Goswami have informed the court that they had documented an interim application for exception from personal appearance of Goswami when he was directed to appear in a hearing in the Alibaug court on March 10.
The advocates contended that there should not be any impulse for Goswami to appear before the Court.
“Since we are seized of the matter we will grant protection and ad-interim for player clause ‘a’,” observed the bench.
The matter is regarding the suicide by an Interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother on May 2018.
The mother-son duo is alleged to have committed suicide due to non-payment of dues by Goswami and two other individuals.
Goswami and the two other persons were charged under section 306 (abetment to suicide) and section 109 (offering a bribe to a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.
The Court listed the matter for further hearing on April 16, 2021.
