Mumbai, May 6: Alibaugh Police station has booked popular prime-time news anchor, Arnab Goswami of The Republic TV, with two others under charges of 'abetment to suicide'(instigating a person to commit suicide) after an interior designer committed suicide on Saturday at her residence.

According to the news report in The Indian Express, the deceased named Anvay Naik committed suicide by hanging himself at his bungalow in Alibaug. The body of his mother, Kumud, was found near Naik. While it is yet to ascertain how Kumud died, but based on the suicide note left behind by Naik, police have registered an abetment to suicide case against Goswami, Feroz Shaikh of IcastX/Skimedia and Niteish Sarda of Smartworks.

Naik’s wife has alleged that he committed suicide, as 'Republic TV' of Goswami did not pay his pending dues. Additional Superintendent of Police (Raigad) Sanjay Patil said to the reporters, “An FIR has been registered against Arnab Goswami of Republic TV, and other two on the charge of abetment to suicide at Alibaug police station on a complaint made by Akshata, the wife of the deceased," quoted by The Indian Express.

Patil's quote further mentioned as saying, “The deceased, an interior decorator, had worked with the three persons he has named in the suicide note. And as per his wife’s complaint, the three did not clear his pending bills, leading Naik to suffer severe losses in his business."

Replying to the allegations made against Goswami, the Republic TV has issued an official statement of clarification which stated certain vested interest groups are running a false and malicious campaign and making false statements and innuendos against Republic TV by exploiting a tragic event involving Naik’s unfortunate demise.

“Republic TV will take strict legal action against anyone indulging in such false propaganda. Republic TV would like to clarify that it had engaged the services of one Concorde Designs Private Limited sometime in December 2016. Republic TV paid all amounts due and payable under the contract to Concorde Designs. The details of payment, including cheque numbers, amounts, dates of payment, related correspondence and documentation are available with Republic TV. All such details and evidence will be given to the appropriate authorities as and when required. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr Naik’s family,” the statement reads.

Meanwhile, the police have not made any arrests in the case and are waiting for the post-mortem reports to come. Also, the police will first check the details of bills which have alleged as not been cleared and kept pending, the cause behind committing the suicide.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 06, 2018 12:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).