Speaking through the gaps of the police van that was taking him to quarantine centre, Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami appealed to the Supreme Court of India to grant him bail, making shocking revelations about the treatment meted out to him. Arnab Goswami was moved to Taloja jail in a police van with black screens on its windows to prevent him from being seen, though he managed to speak to Republic mics through gaps in the window of the van at traffic signals.
“I requested them to let me talk to my lawyers. They said they will not allow me. I am telling this to the people of India that my life is under danger. They said there will be no talks with the lawyers. I am being harassed. My police custody was rejected. They don’t want that I come out. They are delaying things. You can see my situation. They dragged me in the morning. They tried to bring me to jail yesterday night. I want to request the Supreme Court to grant me bail,” Arnab Goswami said.
After the Alibag CJM on Wednesday evening had sent Arnab to 14 days judicial custody, the Bombay HC on Saturday, reserved the order in the plea challenging Arnab’s arrest following which it was announced that the verdict will be pronounced at 3 pm on Monday. Shifting Arnab Goswami to Taloja jail wasn’t intimated to Arnab Goswami’s lawyers.
On Wednesday at 7:45 AM, the Mumbai Police barged into the house of Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and forcefully dragged him out, arresting him under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code in the 2018 Anvay Naik suicide case. The police personnel not only stopped Arnab from handing over medicines to his parents-in-law but also physically assaulted him and his son, even refusing to let him wear his shoes. Arnab was neither served prior summons nor allowed access to his legal team.
Mumbai police then handed him over to Raigad police, which took him to Alibag Police Station, where his lawyer informed that Arnab had suffered an injury on his left hand after being heckled by the police. As per the lawyer, he was pulled by his belt and was beaten on the back of his spine. After a 5-hour long remand hearing, however, the Chief Judicial Magistrate rejected granting custody to the Raigad police and Arnab was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
