Arnab Goswami faces police over alleged provocative comments

Mumbai police on Wednesday interrogated Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in a case about alleged provocative comments.

Goswami reached the N M Joshi Marg police station around 2 pm and was grilled for nearly two hours by police officials, who first interrogated S Sundaram, Republic TVs Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Speaking outside the police station, Goswami alleged "political vendetta and deliberate obstruction to his media duty" by Mumbai police and urged media fraternity to unite.

"The truth is on my side. We will win. I have placed facts before the Mumbai police. They said they may call me for questioning again," he told reporters.

Two FIRs have been filed against Goswami accusing him of making provocative comments about a community during a news show about migrant workers gathering in large numbers outside the Bandra railway terminus during lockdown.

"When I started proving to them that the entire case against me is fabricated, adding that the video clip (of the show) was edited and put out of context, the investigating officer said they will call me (for questioning) later," Goswami said.

"I told them it is not good to expose me (to health risk) during the current coronavirus situation," he said. Asked what would be his course of action, he said, "We will fight in the court." Goswami said he was grilled for two hours and his CFO was interrogated for six hours.

"This is clear and blatant political vendetta. The Vadra Congress is blatantly misusing the Mumbai police. But like always, they will fail.

"I stand by every minute of our Palghar and Bandra migrants' protest coverage. The New media in a new India is becoming stronger. It is time for the Lutyens brigade to introspect," Goswami said.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to grant Goswami exemption from appearance before the police in the case and asked him to appear before the cops on Wednesday.

Police had summoned Goswami for interrogation in connection with a complaint filed against him for allegedly creating communal disturbance through his TV show aired on April 29.

The court allowed him to appear at the N M Joshi Marg police station, and not at Pydhonie, which is a containment zone.

Asked why was the channel CFO called for questioning, a senior police official indicated that it may be a part of the process to see how the channel functions.