Plea Seeking Ban On Republic TV & Arnab; Bombay HC Refuses Relief Says Petitioners Have Liberty To Move SC

Justice Prithviraj Chavan heard the petitions filed by Bhai Jagtap, a Member of Legislative Council from Congress and Suraj Thakur, State Vice President of Maharashtra Youth Congress. Court kept the matter pending and said that petitioners could approach the Supreme Court for interim relief.

Goswami is already being investigated by Mumbai police in relation to multiple FIRs filed against him in different states for his channel's coverage of Palghar mob lynching incident. The Supreme Court had granted Arnab protection from arrest for three weeks on April 24.

Justice Chavan said that since the matter is before the Supreme Court, and investigation is pending against Arnab, Republic Tv has also been named in the complaint, we can't say that the management is not going to be investigated.

While granting Arnab interim protection, the bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah had directed proceedings in all FIRs except the one FIR registered in Nagpur to be stayed until further orders. Another FIR was registered by Mumbai police for Arnab's reporting in relation to the incident of migrants gathering at Bandra station.

On Monday, when Goswami sought quashing of the second FIR in Mumbai, Justice Chandrachud reserved the order but noted -

"If you want the quashing of this FIR, the Bombay one and the new one, then you can move the HC. We had earlier intervened due to the multiplicity of FIRs arising out of the same cause of action"

Arnab is yet to file an application seeking anticipatory bail before the Bombay High Court.

The present writ petition cites 30 different comments made during the shows telecast on Republic TV as well as its Hindi version Republic Bharat TV wherein defamatory statements about Congress President Sonia Gandhi have been made. The plea also states that anchors have sought to give a 'religious colour' to the Palghar mob lynching incident where two sadhus and their driver were beaten to death by a mob.

Adv Rahul Kamerkar appeared on behalf of the petitioners.

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