On Monday, the Supreme Court holds its order on a writ petition registered by Arnab Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV, seeking to rescind of the FIR lodged by Mumbai police against for purportedly inflaming communal tension through his show about the gathering of migrants in Bandra.
Until the order is declared, the bench including Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah Goswami granted interim protection from any intimidating action.
Senior Advocate Harish Salve, representing Goswami, asserted that the several FIRs lodged against Goswami were not only alike in nature but were registered by members of the same political party — Congress.
Goswami had claimed in his petition that the FIR filed by the Mumbai police was “politically motivated” and intended to persecute him. He claimed the police of being biased against him and sought directions for transferring of his cases to a central independent agency like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Before 16 May, the order is expected to be announced and the court shall take the plea into consideration for transferring the inquest to an independent investigative agency.
For rescinding the FIR or seeking anticipatory bail, the two-judge bench noted that the
petitioner could have approached the Bombay high court.
Noting to the 24 April order, when Goswami was given interim protection against several FIRs, Justice Chandrachu stated that the court had intervened once then but there should not be the creation of an atmosphere where a particular person is exempted from the normal course of proceedings.
