Maharashtra Governor speaks to state home minister Deshmukh over Arnab’s security, health

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has spoken to state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh over phone to convey his concern over the security and health of Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, who was arrested last week in connection with an abetment to suicide case.

The governor’s office in a statement on Monday said Koshyari also asked the state Home minister to allow Goswami's family to see him and speak to him.

The governor had earlier conveyed to Deshmukh his concern over the manner in which Goswami was arrested, the statement said.

Goswami and two others - Feroze Shaikh and Nitish Sarda - were arrested by Alibaug police in Raigad district on November 4 in connection with the suicide of architect- interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother in 2018 over alleged non-payment of dues by companies of the accused.

After his arrest from his residence in Mumbai, Goswami was taken to Alibaug, where the Chief Judicial Magistrate remanded him and the two others in judicial custody till November 18.

Goswami was then kept at a local school which has been designated as a COVID-19 centre for the Alibaug prison.

On Sunday, he was shifted to Taloja jail in Raigad district after allegedly being found using a mobile phone while in judicial custody.