Plea to prosecute Arnab Goswami, ban Republic TV: Bombay HC asks petitioners to approach SC

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to grant any relief in writ petitions filed by two members of the Congress party seeking ban on Arnab Goswami and Republic TV, reports LiveLaw.in.

The petitioners had sought registration of FIR against Arnab, his channel and its management for spreading communal hatred during a telecast relating to the Palghar mob lynching incident.

Justice Prithviraj Chavan heard the petitions filed by Bhai Jagtap, a Member of Legislative Council from Congress and Suraj Thakur, State Vice President of Maharashtra Youth Congress. The court kept the matter pending and said that petitioners could approach the Supreme Court for interim relief.

Goswami is already being investigated by Mumbai police in relation to multiple FIRs filed against him in different states for his channel's coverage of Palghar mob lynching incident. The Supreme Court had granted Arnab protection from arrest for three weeks on April 24.

Justice Chavan said that since the matter is before the Supreme Court, and investigation is pending against Arnab, and Republic TV has also been named in the complaint, we can't say that the management is not going to be investigated’.

While granting Arnab interim protection, the SC bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah had directed proceedings in all FIRs except the one FIR registered in Nagpur to be stayed until further orders.

Another FIR was registered by Mumbai police for Arnab's reporting in relation to the incident of migrants gathering at Bandra station.

On Monday, when Goswami sought quashing of the second FIR in Mumbai, the SC had reserved the order.