Arnab Goswami, Republic TV’s Editor-In-Chief Sent To Judicial Custody Till November 18 In Abetment Of Suicide Case, Alibaug Court Refuses Police Custody

A local court in Maharashtra's Alibaug on November 4 sent Republic TV Managing Director and Chief Editor Arnab Goswami to 14 days judicial custody till November 18. The Raigad Police sought 14 days' custody of Arnab Goswami. However, the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Alibaug Court turned down the police’s plea. The remand order was passed after a marathon hearing session of nearly six hours. Goswami was arrested on November 4 in connection with the 2018 double-suicide case of an architect Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik. The mother and son were found hanging at their Alibaug bungalow on May 5, 2018. They left a suicide note, saying they committed suicide owing to unpaid dues from Goswami’s Republic TV (Rs 83 lakh) and two other companies. Following his arrest, Goswami said that he was assaulted, his son was beaten and his in-laws were pushed aside. The police, however, charged him with assaulting a woman officer. The family of the late architect Anvay Naik, however, welcomed Goswami's arrest and demanded to know why he (Goswami) was accorded "privileged treatment" by the police earlier. BJP condemned the arrest of Goswami and described the Maharashtra police's action as "witch-hunt", "return to the Emergency days”, "assault on freedom of press". However, State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that the action was as per the law and there was no political interference in the matter.