On Monday, the Maharashtra government approached the Supreme Court against Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, alleging that the journalist is using his position to indulge in ‘vicious propaganda’ against the police force and the Mumbai Police Commissioner. It further accused that he has been browbeating the police by ‘creating fear psychosis’.
The government has accused journalist Goswami of interfering with the probe against him by using his tweets and television debates to browbeat the Mumbai Police. In a petition before the top court, the State Police accused Goswami of repeatedly using his position as well as his channel to make “unjustified, unwarranted, disparaging, ridiculing, false and derogatory statements against the police, including the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai.”
As per sources, the Maharashtra Police is investigating into two FIRs – a hate case registered against Goswami for his alleged defamatory statements made during news shows on the Palghar mob-lynching of three persons including two saints in Maharashtra, and also a complaint filed by himself, alleging he was attacked.
Earlier, on 24th April, the apex court had protected Goswami from arrest in the hate case.
“The indulgence granted to him on 24th April is not some kind of a license to indulge in unwarranted sensationalism and to ridicule, denigrate and defame the police department and its officers and to dictate the course of investigations in the way and manner of his choice and also to cause subtle threats and intimidate the investigating agency,” mentioned the State police to the apex court.
Subsequently, the state sought urgent orders to restrain the journalist from engaging in such acts that creates a “fear psychosis” among the force impeding their ability to probe the case without fear or favor and to it to carry out its lawful obligations in a fair and transparent manner.
