Arnab Goswami's bail plea alleges brutality by Mumbai police, says spinal cord injured

Accusing the Mumbai police of custodial torture, Goswami in his bail plea also said that he was hit by a police officer's boot and suffered a six-inch-deep gash on his left hand
Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami shows injury marks at Alibaug court near Mumbai. (Photo| ANI)
Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami shows injury marks at Alibaug court near Mumbai. (Photo| ANI)

Republic TV owner and editor Arnab Goswami, who was arrested by the Mumbai Police in an abetment of suicide case, filed a bail application in the Bombay High Court on Saturday. It will be heard by the Bench of Justice SS Shinde and MM Karnik.

In his application before the Bombay High Court, Goswami's lawyer claimed that his client who is in judicial custody at Alibaug has suffered serious injuries while in illegal detention. Goswami has also filed a habeas corpus plea challenging his arrest on the morning of November 4 in connection with the case registered over the suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik.

In his bail plea, Goswami makes serious allegations of manhandling by the police. His application states, "During the course of his arrest and while being transferred to Alibaug in a police van and in the custody of the police, the petitioner suffered a 6-inch-deep gash on his left hand, a serious injury to his spinal cord, was hit by a heavy uniform police officer’s boot, was not allowed to wear shoes throughout, suffered vein injuries and was not even given access to drinking water. He was also forced to consume certain liquid by the police officers guarding him and choked as a result thereof."

Goswami has also sought an interim stay on the proceedings of the FIR, including a stay on the investigation. He contended that the investigation into the FIR is illegal.

He highlights that the investigation in the 2018 FIR was closed after the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Alibaug accepted the "A" Summary report. There is no judicial order thereafter for re-opening the investigation, he points out.

Goswami goes on to contend, "There is no requirement to continue the illegal detention of the petitioner as all records of the matter are with the Maharashtra police which had been provided by the petitioner way back in 2019."

In his bail application, Goswami also said that he approached the High Court as the bail hearing before the CJM in Alibaug was dependent on the filing of a reply by the Maharashtra police. He claimed that the reply is likely to be deliberately delayed to ensure that the petitioner remains illegally detained, rendering his remedy infructuous. Goswami was remanded to a 14-day judicial custody by the CJM Alibaug in a late night order passed on Wednesday.

Goswami was arrested on November 4 for allegedly abetting the suicide of 53-year-old interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik in 2018. A team of the Alibaug police picked up Goswami from his Lower Parel house on Wednesday morning.

Goswami, who was seen being pushed into the police van, claimed he was assaulted by police at his home, before being taken away.

In 2018, the architect and his mother committed suicide over alleged non-payment of dues by Republic TV, police said. Goswami, along with two others, has been booked under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide), and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

Naik had done the interior design work of Republic TV studio with charges coming up to Rs 5.40 crore. However, Goswami had allegedly not paid the dues despite sevaral reminders from Naik. This left Naik and his family in financial crisis and he ended his life leaving a suicide note mentioning and blaming Goswami for his death. However, the BJP government in Maharashtra under erstwhile chief minister Devendra Fadnavis did not pursue the case and later it was closed down. 

In May this year, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh announced he has ordered a fresh probe in the case after a complaint by Adnya Naik, daughter of the architect.

The Bombay High Court bench, headed by SS Shinde and MS Karnik, heard the petition and due to shortage of time extended the hearing for Saturday.

(with inputs from Sudhir Suryawanshi)

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