Mumbai: The Bombay High Court refused to grant Tuesday ‘Republic TV’ editor-in-chief, Arnab Goswami exemption from appearance before the police in a case about alleged provocative comments. A division bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Riyaz Chagla, which was hearing his petition seeking quashing of the FIRs, asked Arnab Goswami to appear before the police Wednesday.
Two FIRs have been registered against Goswami in Nagpur and in this city. He has been accused in both FIRs of making provocative comments about a community during a news show. The show was about migrant workers gathering in large numbers outside the Bandra railway terminus during lockdown.
Goswami’s lawyer Harish Salve sought Tuesday exemption for him from appearing before the Mumbai police Wednesday and also later pending the hearing of the petition.
Last month Goswami moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of all the FIRs lodged against him. The SC refused to quash May 19 the FIRs lodged in Maharashtra and said he could approach the Bombay High Court for relief.
During the hearing Tuesday, Kapil Sibal, the counsel for the Maharashtra government Sibal opposed the plea for exemption. He said Goswami’s interrogation is necessary for probe.
The bench then directed Goswami to appear before the concerned police station Wednesday and posted the petition for hearing to June 12.