DNA Exclusive: Arnab Goswami’s arrest exposes brazen attack on fourth pillar of democracy

New Delhi: The Fourth Pillar of Democracy confronted a brazen assault on Wednesday (November 4) morning when Republic TV’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami was arrested by the Maharashtra police. Of late, Arnab Goswami has been within the information as a result of his steady protection of Sushant Singh Rajput loss of life case, and for cornering Mumbai Police Commissioner, Shiv Sena and Congress celebration or as a result of his channel’s alleged involvement within the TRP rip-off, however Zee News took an neutral stand and remained silent because it was least affected by his model of journalism.

The opportune second, nevertheless, got here in the present day to interrupt the silence. The well-known French thinker Voltaire as soon as stated, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” These golden phrases may be guiding rules for journalists in the present day. We might not agree with what Arnab says, however we are going to proceed to combat to defend his proper to freedom of expression.

Arnab was arrested from his Lower Parel residence in Mumbai not due to his stand within the Sushant Singh Rajput’s loss of life or the TRP rip-off or due to his journalism, however in a two-year-old case, through which he has been booked underneath part 306 (abetment of suicide) and 34 (frequent intention) of the IPC in reference to the suicide of architect-interior designer Anvay Naik and Naik’s mom over alleged non-payment of dues by Republic TV in 2018. 

In his purported suicide observe, Anvay Naik particularly talked about the names of Goswami and the opposite two accused. The Raigad police had probed this case final 12 months and filed a closure report on this case. Arnab Goswami was neither arrested nor questioned on this case. 

The household of Anvay Naik, nevertheless, once more filed an attraction within the Bombay High Court in July 2020 to reopen the case. The Naik household additionally met the Alibag police on 12th October and demanded additional investigation. In simply three days, 15th October 2020, the CID unit of the Alibag police advised the court docket that they had been reopening the case to begin an investigation. 

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On Arnab Goswami’s arrest, reactions from completely different quarters are coming, however some questions want a solution: 

1. The police had filed a closure report within the case after probing it for almost a 12 months. It had cited an absence of proof towards the accused. Whats are the brand new info that it has now discovered?

2. An accused is interrogated within the police custody solely underneath sure circumstances when the accused is suspected to flee the nation or he/she might erase the proof or put strain on witnesses. In this two-year-old case, no such cause was seen up to now, then why did the police out of the blue really feel the necessity to interrogate Arnab by arresting him?

3. In such a state of affairs, the accused might be summoned to the police station for questioning by sending a discover and after recording his assertion, the investigation might have progressed. The police, nevertheless, out of the blue reached Arnab Goswami’s residence and arrested him with out serving any discover.

4. The fourth query is that Arnab Goswami was not given a chance to speak to his attorneys. 

A journalist is just not anticipated to stay silent. This is taken into account to be the best high quality of journalists, however additionally it is their largest folly. The journalistic voice ought to merely goal at conveying the reality to folks, however the time has modified within the period of social media. Lies are unfold from one nook of the world to the opposite at a sooner tempo. 

What Republic Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami is going through in the present day has been confronted by Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary eight years in the past, and nonetheless confronting the identical even in the present day. There had been no social media when Sudhir Chaudhary had confronted this tough section and the nation’s media too remained silent, however Zee News saved on strolling regardless of going through odds. 

Journalism is at present standing at a crossroads the place we have now to determine whether or not to point out an commercial to make you content, or to point out you the reality. If the reality is proven, scribes are implicated in false circumstances, they’re put underneath surveillance, they begin getting threats, their households should not allowed to maneuver freely, and are consistently trolled on social media. On the opposite, if we present commercials, it will likely be dishonest skilled conduct. Those who do not compromise should sacrifice them within the title of the fourth pillar of democracy. 

The fourth pillar performs a vital position in strengthening the nation’s democracy, however its basis is being weakened. Those who’re adamant are going through all odds. The breed of journalists who dare to talk the reality is nearly extinct, and those that are nonetheless holding the banner of reality are underneath fixed risk.

Notably, a court docket at Alibaug in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on Wednesday night remanded Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in judicial custody until November 18 in a 2018 abetment to suicide case. The police had sought Goswami’s custody for 14 days, however the court docket held that custodial interrogation was not required.