Raigad SP gets notice from Maharashtra Human Rights Commission over Arnab Goswami's arrest

On behalf of Arnab Goswami, a complaint was filed with the Maharashtra Human Rights Commission that there was a human rights violation during his arrest.

Image courtesy: Reuters

New Delhi: Maharashtra Human Rights Commission on Thursday (November 5) issued a notice to Superintendent of Police (SP), Raigad to remain present before it on Friday by 11 am over the arrest of Republic TV's Arnab Goswami. The Human Rights panel has also directed the SP to present entire material records before it.

On behalf of Republic TV's Arnab Goswami, a complaint was filed with the Commission that there was a human rights violation during his arrest.

Arnab Goswami has petitioned the Bombay High Court challenging his "illegal arrest" in a 2018 case of abetment of suicide of an interior designer. He sought quashing of the FIR lodged against him by Alibaug police in Maharashtra, but his plea would be heard on Friday, by a division bench of Justices S S Shinde and M S Karnik.

On Wednesday, Goswami was arrested from his residence at Lower Parel in Mumbai for allegedly abetting the suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik. He was taken to the Alibaug police station in neighbouring Raigad district and later produced before a magistrate's court in Alibaug, which remanded him in judicial custody till November 18.

Currently, Goswami is kept at a local school which has been designated as a COVID-19 centre for the Alibaug prison.

In his petition, Goswami has challenged his "illegal arrest" and sought an urgent order of stay in the investigation into the case and also a direction to the police to release him immediately.

As per the plea, the investigation into the case was closed last year and a closure report was filed which was accepted by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of the Alibaug court by an order dated April 16, 2019.

The petition claimed that in May 2018, the police had recorded the statements of Goswami and two senior officials of the Republic TV and after conducting a thorough investigation, the case was closed.