MUMBAI: Republic TV owner and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was arrested on Wednesday by Maharashtra Police from his home in connection with a 2018 suicide case, where an architect and his mother died by suicide over alleged non-payment of the architect’s fee by Goswami’s TV channel for a project.
Anvay Naik, a Mumbai based interior designer was found dead along with his mother Kumud Naik in his Alibaug home in May 2018. After the post-mortem the police said that it was indicated that Anvay had committed suicide but his mother was strangulated. She did not commit suicide. It is believed by the Police that Anvay killed his own mother by strangulating her before committing suicide himself. His mother’s body was found on the ground floor of his house on the sofa, and he was found hanging on the first floor by his caretaker. The reason of Goswami’s arrest as stated by the Police is that Anvay had left a suicide note behind, stating that he took this extreme step because the owners of three companies hadn’t cleared their dues with Anvay. He named Arnab Goswami of Republic TV, Feroz Shaikh of IcastX/Skimedia and Niteish Sarda of Smartworks in his suicide note. “The three firms owed Naik’s company, Concorde Designs Pvt Ltd, Rs 83 lakh, Rs 4 crore and Rs 55 lakh respectively, the note added,” the Indian Express reported. Arnab had allegedly denied the non-payment charges.
Anvay Naik’s wife Akshata told the reporters in a press conference, “My husband in his suicide note had mentioned three names but no action was taken against them. Arnab Goswami is behind my husband’s death and I request every single Indian not to help him. Maharashtra police’s action is justice for us,” she added. Naik’s daughter
Adnya said, “My father spent his money, energy, blood and sweat on the project. Despite all that, Goswami ensured my father did not get his dues. He continuously threatened my father saying that he will finish his career and my career. Between February and March 2019 we had gone to Alibag police station to collect my father’s suicide note and chemical analysis report. The investigation officer Suresh Wadare asked us to sign a paper and when we read it we found that they had mentioned a line the paper which read ‘We have filed this complaint to take revenge and now we want to take our case back.’ I remember this line but not the entire content. After reading the paper, I tried to take a picture of that which the officer opposed and then he tore the page and asked us to leave.”
“On my father’s death anniversary on May 5, 2020, we decided to raise our voice for justice and we uploaded some videos. Few days later Republic issued a statement on their Twitter handle saying that police had filed a closure report in this case. It is then that we came to know that our case has been closed. The investigation was botched up earlier,” Adnya added.
Arnab is now in custody until November 18. His lawyers have been pushing for bail to no respite from the Bombay High Court. In their statement on Wednesday, Goswami and Republic TV said: "It is shocking that a case that was decisively closed has been reopened with the sole purpose of misusing power, concocting facts and forcefully arresting Arnab Goswami in a prima facie act of revenge and vengeance for his news coverage which questioned those in power in the state of Maharashtra."
Supporting Goswami, and resenting his arrest, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah called the arrest an "attack on free press." "Congress and its allies have shamed democracy once again," he said. "Blatant misuse of state power against Republic TV & Arnab Goswami is an attack on individual freedom and the 4th pillar of democracy ... This attack on free press must be and will be opposed,” Shah tweeted.
The Editors Guild of India, condemned the sudden arrest and found it extremely distressing. It called upon Maharashtra Chief Minister Udhav Thackeray to ensure that Mr. Goswami is treated fairly and state power is not used against critical reporting by the media.
On his arrest, Arnab claimed in a video to Republic TV that he was assaulted, dragged and taken into custody by the police without being given the time to wear footwear (he was only wearing socks). Bar and Bench reported, “A fresh FIR is registered against Arnab Goswami, his wife Samyabrata Goswami, his son and two unknown persons for allegedly obstructing police officers from carrying out their duties, more specifically for assaulting female police officers carrying on their duty. The FIR has been lodged by SG Tanvade under Sections 353 (deterring public servants from discharging duty), 504 and 506 (provoking breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code and under provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.