BENGALURU: Terming the complaint lodged by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) against journalist Arnab Goswami as “reckless” and “only to settle scores”, the Karnataka High Court quashed the criminal proceedings against him.
“What was aired was an alleged false report on a regional channel that an ambulance had to wait for the convoy of the chief minister to pass.
Even if it is construed to be true, it is not understandable as to how the ingredients of Section 505(2) (creating or promoting enmity, hatred, or ill-will between classes) (of the IPC) are met even in the remotest sense. Therefore, merely because he (Goswami) is a renowned name, he was dragged into this.
The registration of the crime against him, on the face of it, is reckless,” said Justice M Nagaprasanna.
The court noted that during the hearing of the petition to a query that “the court wants to know what offence the petitioner committed”, there was no reply. The petitioner, ostensibly, has not committed any offence as observed, and his name was dragged in only because he is Arnab Goswami, it said.
“It is not understandable as to how the petitioner could be dragged into this. He is the editor-in-chief or executive director of a media house. He has neither made a statement nor aired anything to promote hatred between classes.
It is the averment that he is not in charge of the day-to-day affairs or minute-to-minute details of what is aired on a regional channel. Therefore, it becomes a classic illustration of dragging the petitioner only to settle scores. Recklessness pervades throughout the registration of the complaint,” the court observed.
Ravindra M V, secretary of the Legal, Human Rights and RTI wing of the KPCC, lodged the complaint with SJ Park police station in the city against Goswami and the executive editor of a regional news channel, alleging that a news report on March 27, 2024, claimed that an ambulance was made to wait in peak traffic so that the CM’s convoy could pass through.
This was a false report to spread negative opinion during the parliamentary elections, he alleged.
Referring to a judgment of the apex court, the court said even permitting an investigation in the case at hand would become an abuse of the process of law and result in a miscarriage of justice.
Therefore, it is appropriate to remove the Damocles sword hanging on the head of the petitioner in the form of an irresponsible crime registered against him, the court said.