“Attack on free press WILL BE OPPOSED”: Home Minister Amit Shah tweets after Arnab Goswami is assaulted and arrested by Mumbai Police

Amit Shah condemns assault on Arnab Goswami (image courtesy: nationalheraldindia.com)

Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday condemned the assault and subsequent arrest of Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police in a 2018 abetment to suicide case which has been closed by court.

https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1323863582027603970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Taking to Twitter, Amit Shah said that this action by Mumbai Police reminds us of the Emergency era that was imposed by Indira Gandhi. “Congress and its allies have shamed democracy once again,” he tweeted. He said that this action by Mumbai Police is misuse of state power agains Republic TV and Arnab Goswami and it is an attack on individual freedom. “This attack on free press must and WILL BE OPPOSED,” he said.

Earlier today, as reported by Republic TV, Mumbai Police team led by encounter specialist Sachin Vaze carrying assault rifles like AK 47 entered Arnab Goswami’s house and assaulted him. Arnab Goswami’s minor son, his parents-in law were also subjected to assault. He was subsequently put in a pole van and arrested.

2018 abetment to suicide case

In May 2018, an FIR was filed against Arnab Goswami in an alleged abetment to suicide case. An interior designer had committed suicide in his bungalow in Alibaug. In a suicide note, Anvay Naik claimed Goswami and the other two persons—Feroz Shaikh and Niteish Sarda—owed him a total of Rs 5.4 crore. However, Goswami was investigated and case was closed by court after a closure report was filed by the Police. You could read about the case in detail here.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia