New Delhi (ILNS): The Bombay High Court today asked the Mumbai Police to issue summons to Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami if the police intends to add his name to the FIR as an accused. As of now, admitted the police, Arnab’s name is not in the FIR filed regarding the TRP scam. This was in response to a plea filed by ARG Outlier Media Ltd and Arnab Goswami seeking quashing of the FIR with regards to the TRP Scam.
The bench comprising Justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik heard Goswami’s lawyer, Senior Counsel Harish Salve, where Salve maintained that he will cooperate with the investigation if summons were issued. Salve submitted that the Mumbai Police have mala fide intentions against his client and they may arrest him at any point of time.
The petition stated: “The Mumbai police, including Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh, harbour malice and ill-will against the Petitioners as Republic TV and R. Bharat have lately been at the forefront in questioning the tardy investigation by the Mumbai police in the Sushant Singh Rajput case and the Palghar lynching incident.” It further claimed that the FIR concerned is the result of a political conspiracy.
On the admission in court that Arnab’s name has so far not featured in the FIR, Arnab has now said that he will be suing the Mumbai police commissioner for Rs 200 crores, Rs 100 crores for damaging the Image of Arnab personally, and Rs 100 crore for damaging the image of Republic TV.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Maharashtra Government, submitted that summons will be issued first. However, he is not giving any commitment that Arnab will not be arrested.
The Mumbai Police had on October 8 alleged that three channels — Republic TV, Box Cinema and Marathi channel Fakt Marathi — were rigging TRP ratings to enhance their advertisement revenue.
The high court has agreed to start the final hearing in the case from November 5.
-ILNS