SC Grants Protection To Arnab Goswami From Arrest In Maha Assembly Breach Of Privilege Case

Mumbai: The Supreme Court on Friday granted protection from arrest to Arnab Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Violation Privilege case.

Granting interim protection to Goswami, the apex court also issued a notice to the Secretary of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

The SC asked why a show-cause notice of contempt of court should not be issued against the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Secretary in connection with Goswami’s plea against the privilege notice being issued to him by the Secretary.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde made it clear that petitioner Arnab Goswami cannot be arrested until a hearing in the privilege notice issued against his case.

The court also termed as ‘serious’ a letter written by the Assembly Secretary to the journalist cautioning him against disclosing House notice to the court.

The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly had issued a privilege notice against Goswami for criticizing Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The development came a day after the House’s privilege resolution committee gave notice to Goswami to give him notice to discuss the violations.

Goswami was arrested on Wednesday from his house in Mumbai and was then taken to Alibag in connection with a 2018 case of abetment to suicide. Designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik died of suicide and named Goswami as one of the three people who didn’t pay dues amounting to Rs 5.4 crore.

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