[Breaking] SC To Deliver Judgment Tomorrow On Arnab Goswami's Plea To Transfer Case From Mumbai Police To CBI

The Supreme Court will pronounce judgment tomorrow in the writ petition filed by Arnab Goswami, Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV, seeking  transfer of probe from Maharashtra police to CBI in the FIR over alleged communal remarks.

A bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah had reserved orders on May 11.

The FIR was registered by Mumbai police for allegedly disturbing communal harmony with his reportage of the gathering of Migrants in Bandra

Senior Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the Republic TV Chief, submitted that the investigation by Mumbai police was "biased" and had a "chilling effect" on the press freedom.

He said that the criminal investigation was intended to harass his client for asking "unpleasant questions".

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the State of Maharashtra, opposed the plea stating that the transfer to CBI would mean that the investigation would be derailed.

Sibal added that Goswami was indulging in communal propaganda and there was strong prima facie case against him.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Centre, expressed disapproval of the 12-hour long interrogation done by Mumbai police on Goswami, and said that the case had to be handled by an independent agency.

On April 24, the same bench had granted three weeks interim protection to Goswami with respect to multiple FIRs registered against him for alleged communalization of Palghar lynching incident. The court had also consolidated FIRs in various states and transferred them to Mumbai.

Click here to read detailed report on the hearing.

Mumbai Police Probe A "Chilling Effect" On Press Freedom, Says Arnab Goswami; SC Reserves Order On Plea To Transfer Case To CBI