"CEO of the company was questioned for over 6 hours. What has a CEO of a company got to do with a news telecast that purportedly caused communal problems? What are they trying to get at? Who own the company? Who is the real owner of the company?" Salve argues.
"Why was I asked the details of my editorial team and content by Police? He was repeatedly asked if he had defamed congress president. He was asked whose money was invested in the channel" Salve questions #ArnabGoswami's course of investigation.
Salve:
"Mr. Sibal's statement shows the need to transfer the case to CBI. This is a political problem between state and centre and I have been caught in a crossfire"
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal interjects, Then in that case [if investigation gets transferred to CBI] , Investigation will go into your hands!
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta objects, says he has serious reservations against this statement.
Salve continues,
"Considering I have made serious allegations against the local police in my program, I have no problem if the Palghar incident remark is being transferred to the CBI for investigation"
Senior Advocate Harish Salves: Please see the affidavit filed by me & see the FIR. Please consider then. The police is interrogating me for 12 hours. Does this FIR require 12 hours of questioning? i think not.
Justice Chandrachud: We will not non-suit you. This is not just in relation to petitioner. We must ensure somebody is not subject to harassment, but we should not create an environment where anybody in particular is exempted from the normal course of proceedings.
Bench:
"If you want the quashing of this FIR, the Bombay one and the new one then u can move the HC. We had earlier intervened due to the multiplicity of FIRs arising out of the same cause of action."
Salve continues,
"If u apply the mechanism of crpc, can the police arrest a journalist and ask?"
Justice DYC Chandrachud: We must draw a balance between both. We can give you the liberty to move to the Bombay Hc, after the expiry of the interim protection we had already given.
Salve: Please consider Article 19 (1)(a). If a comment is made which has a communal overtone, can the police and crpc, without any checks and safeguards be applied to telecast an opinions on tv and print and writing?