Supreme Court extends interim bail of Arnab Goswami; says criminal law cannot be weapon for harassment

MUMBAI: The Supreme Court on Friday said that the interim bail to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and two others in an abetment to suicide case will remain in force for a period of four weeks till the Bombay High Court disposes of their plea.

The apex court also said that the judiciary should ensure that criminal law does not become a weapon for selective harassment of citizens.

The apex court also said that the judiciary should ensure that criminal law does not become a weapon for selective harassment of citizens.

The top court had granted interim bail to Goswami on November 11, saying it will be “a travesty of justice” if personal liberty is curtailed.

A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud on Friday gave reasons for granting relief to the TV anchor and two others in the case.

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The bench also said the Supreme Court, high courts and lower courts must be alive to the misuse of criminal law by the state machinery. They should ensure criminal law does not become a weapon for the selective harassment of citizens, it said.

“Doors of this court cannot be closed to citizen who has prima facie showed state has misused its power,” it said.

 Supreme Court on November 11 granted interim bail to Republic TV editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami on a bond of Rs 50,000 in an abetment to suicide case.

Arnab Goswami was arrested by Alibaug police in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on November 4 in connection with the suicide of architect-interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother in 2018 over non-payment of dues.

The Anvay Naik case:

Architect and interior designer, Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik died by suicide at their farmhouse in Maharashtra’s Alibag on May 5, 2018.

The designer left behind a suicide note where he named three individuals whom he said were responsible for the suicide.

In the note, Naik said that the three individuals in question owed his firm Concorde Designs a total of Rs 5.4 crore which did not allow him to pay his creditors.

The note said that Arnab Goswami owed Naik Rs 83 lakhs, Feroz Shaikh owed the firm Rs 4 crore, and Nitesh Sarda Rs 5 lakh.

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