In a big jolt to Arnab Goswami, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday decided to launch a CID probe in the abetment to suicide case against the Republic TV founder. This was confirmed by Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. His announcement on a CID probe came days after his cabinet colleague Satej (Bunty) D.Patil promised that justice will prevail in the 2018 case against Goswami for alleged role in the abetment to suicide case.
Taking to Twitter, Deshmukh wrote, “Adnya Naik had complained to me that #AlibaugPolice had not investigated non-payment of dues from #ArnabGoswami’s @republic which drove her entrepreneur father & grandmom to suicide in May 2018. I’ve ordered a CID re-investigation of the case. #MaharashtraGovernmentCares.”
Adnya Naik had complained to me that #AlibaugPolice had not investigated non-payment of dues from #ArnabGoswami‘s @republic which drove her entrepreneur father & grandmom to suicide in May 2018. I’ve ordered a CID re-investigation of the case.#MaharashtraGovernmentCares
— ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) May 26, 2020
This was after Akshata Naik, the widow of interior designer Anvay Naik, recorded a short video seeking justice for her husband’s death in 2018. She alleged that her husband and mother-in-law had to commit suicide due to the non-payment of dues from Arnab Goswami.
What’s the charge against Arnab Goswami?
Anvay Naik and her mother had committed suicides in 2018. The police had filed an FIR against Arnab Goswami, Feroz Shaikh of IcastX/Skimedia and Niteish Sarda of Smartworks, on the charge of abetment to suicide at Alibaug police station on a complaint by Akshata. According to the complaint, the deceased had worked with the three persons he named in the suicide note. According to his wife’s complaint, the three did not clear his pending bills, leading Naik to suffer severe losses in his business.
Republic TV in its statement had denied allegations of non-payment in its statement.
At the time of filing the FIR against Goswami, Maharashtra had a BJP government headed by the then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. With Maharashtra now being ruled by the Congress, the NCP and the Shiv Sena, Goswami’s detractors hope that that the abetment to suicide case will be fast-tracked and reach a logical conclusion.
Goswami’s recent troubles
Arnab Goswami has recently found himself in a series of troubles forcing him to seek recourse to justice from the Supreme Court, which extended protection from arrest by another week. He’s facing serious criminal charges of using his TV platform to incite communal hatred in the country.
While extending the protection from arrest to Goswami, the top court had dismissed the Republic TV founder’s pleas to transfer the FIRs filed against him to the CBI. The apex court had also made scathing observations that experts feel will continue to haunt Goswami for a long time. The disappointment for Goswami in the Supreme Court came despite the controversial anchor availing the services of some of the most expensive lawyers in India. The first lawyer to represent him was former Attorney General of India, Mukul Rohatgi, followed by Harish Salve, who failed to convince the judges for the quashing of FIRs against Goswami and the transfer of the case to the CBI.
Several celebrities including FIR actress Kavita Kaushik, Mulk director Anubhav Sinha and Saif Ali Khan’s co-star Kubbra Sait had targeted him for his theatrics both inside and outside the TV studio.
