One of the policemen who interrogated Arnab Goswami for over twelve hours in April last week has now tested positive for coronavirus, senior advocate Harish Salve informed the Supreme Court while arguing for the Republic TV chief seeking quashing of the fresh FIR against him.
Salve [For #arnabgoswami] I'm surprised to see why police is asking as to why he defamed certain people. Police is investigating a telecast! Moreover, Two officers who interrogated him were asymptomatic and one has been tested #COVID19 positive.
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) May 11, 2020
An FIR was filed by Mumbai based Raza Academy alleging Goswami indulged in disturbing communal harmony over the gathering of migrants in Bandra near a mosque. Raza Academy had organised the August 2012 protests at Azad Maidan in Mumbai which escalated to riots. The most shocking incident of the Azad Maidan Riots was the desecration of Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial by the Muslim mobs. The war memorial is dedicated to the fighters of 1857 – the First Indian Freedom Struggle.
However, two of the officers who interrogated Goswami were asymptomatic and later one of them have tested for coronavirus.
Arnab Goswami interrogation
On April 27, 2020, Goswami was questioned by Mumbai Police for over 12 hours for questioning Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi’s silence over Palghar Sadhu lynching. He was questioned after the Congress party filed more than 150 FIRs against him in various states of the country. The Supreme Court had merged all the FIRs into one and transferred to Mumbai. A week later, a fresh FIR was filed by Raza Academy.
Over the Palghar incident, Arnab, during the hearing on quashing of FIR requested that the case be transferred to the CBI for further investigation since he has made serious allegations against the local police in Palghar incident. “It’s a union vs state problem and I have become a party to this. Of course I can go to Bombay High Court, my request is that the CBI can probe and file report,” Goswami said in the court.
Arnab Goswami vs Sonia Gandhi
Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami questioned Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi alias Antonia Maino’s silence over the lynching of Sadhus in April 2020 in Palghar. Congress is in power in Maharashtra with alliance partners Shiv Sena and NCP. However, after Goswami questioned Sonia Gandhi’s silence, he was attacked online by Congress leaders and supporters where multiple FIRs were registered against him across the country. He was also attacked by Youth Congress workers for questioning Sonia Gandhi’s silence. He then moved the SC which granted him protection against multiple FIRs.
