“This is little ambitious, you better withdraw”: Arnab Goswami left disappointed as judges, who faced allegations of biases, refuse to entertain Republic TV founder’s plea

By
JKR Staff
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In a huge setback to Arnab Goswami, the Supreme Court judges, who faced allegations of biases, refused to entertain his plea seeking protection from coercion by the Mumbai Police. The Bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee bluntly told Goswami’s lawyer ‘this is little ambitious’ before directing him to withdraw the plea.

This was after Goswami’s lawyer Milind Sathe, according to the Bar and Bench website, told the top court, “You want Maharashtra police not to arrest any employee and transfer to CBI.” In response, Justice Chandrachud said, “This is a little ambitious. You better withdraw this.”

Sathe asked the court to grant his client the liberty to pursue alternate remedies. Sathe later decided ti withdraw his plea

In his prayer, Goswami had sought a direction to the Union of India to grant him protection, transfer all cases to CBI, restrain the Maharashtra police from arresting Republic employees among others.

The Bench comprising Justice Chandrachud and Banerjee had faced widespread criticism for allegedly extending special treatment to Goswami by listing his case on priority even when his plea was pending before a lower court. Supreme Court Bar Association President Dushyant Dave had raise serious questions on top court’s integrity for preferential treatment to Arnab Goswami

The Bench had later ordered Goswami’s release from the jail in Navi Mumbai, where he was shifted after being arrested from his residence in Mumbai on 4 November in the abetment to suicide case. He had to spend a week behind bars before being released.

Days later, the Maharashtra government filed a 1,914-page chargesheet before a court in Raigad in the abetment to suicide case. The police have also named as many as 65 witnesses to make the case against the Republic TV founder watertight.