Amit Shah condemns Arnab Goswami’s arrest, says ‘attack on free press will be opposed’

Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday took to Twitter to slam the arrest of journalist Arnab Goswami in connection with a two-year-old case of abetment to suicide.

The Republic Television editor, who is at loggerheads with the Maharashtra state government over a slew of recent incidents including Sushant Singh Rajput death investigation, TRP scam etc, was detained by Alibaugh Police on Wednesday morning. Republic Television has alleged that he and his family members were manhandled by the police. Later he was arrested and was being taken to Alibaugh.

Several Union ministers including Prakash Javadekar, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Irani denounced the attack on press freedom. BJP chief JP Nadda too termed the arrest as ‘shameful’.

Blaming the Congress and allies for “shaming democracy”, Amit Shah said the incident is a “blatant misuse of state power” against Republic TV and Arnab Goswami. “It reminds us of the Emergency. This attack on free press must be and WILL BE OPPOSED,” the Union minister tweeted.

The Republic Television has issued a statement and said all allegations against Arnab Goswami are unfounded.
A 53-year-old interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik died by suicide in Alibaug in May 2018. A suicide note purportedly written by Anvay was found in which he said that Goswami and two others — Feroz Shaikh and Niteish Sarda —had not paid him Rs 5.40 crore which led to his financial constraints.

“ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd has paid over 90 per cent of the amounts due to deceased Anvay Naik’s company Concorde Designs Pvt Ltd as per the terms of the work orders issued, over two years ago. The remaining sum was to be paid on completion of the pending work which has since not been undertaken. Repeated attempts were made by ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd to make the balance payment to CDPL, for full and final settlement of all claims. We have full correspondence regarding this matter and proof that the absence of shareholders or directors in CDPL, has made all such attempts infructuous,” the television channel said in its statement.