New Delhi: Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami was granted interim bail in a 2018 abetment to suicide case by the Supreme Court on Wednesday. A two-judge bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee drew up the Maharashtra government over the case against the TV anchor as they attended the petition through video conferencing. The hearing comes two days after the Bombay High Court rejected Mr. Goswami’s plea against his arrest and the reopening of the case. “I do not watch the channel,” said Justice Chandrachud adding that if constitutional courts do not interfere, “we are traveling the path of destruction undeniably”.
Here are top observations of the Supreme Court:
- Assuming the FIR is the gospel truth and that’s a matter of investigation, but is not paying up money abetment to suicide? It will be a travesty of justice if bail is not granted while FIR is pending, Mr. Sibal. (Kapil Sibal represents the Maharashtra government in the case)
- If left to me, I do not watch the channel and you may differ in ideology, but if constitutional courts do not interfere today, we are traveling the path of destruction undeniably.
- Our democracy is extraordinarily resilient. Point is, governments should ignore them (taunts on TV). This is not the basis on which elections are fought. You (Maharashtra) think what they say makes any difference in the elections?
- “The High Court has written a 56-page judgment, but there is not even a preliminary indication as to whether the case will survive.”
- “Governments should ignore the allegations made on the channels. Does the (Maharashtra) government think that such allegations will have an impact on the elections?”
- We must send a message today to the high courts as well. Please exercise your jurisdiction to uphold personal liberty.
- “This case (against Arnab Goswami) is not a terrorism case. Bail cannot be denied on technical grounds.”
- If state governments target individuals, they must realize there is an apex court to protect the liberty of citizens.
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