SC to hear Arnab Goswami's petition today; plea seeks stay on FIRs lodged against him in multiple states

The Supreme Court on Friday will hear the Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami petition, which seeks that no coercive action should be taken on the first information reports (FIR’s) filed against him across India from multiple states for allegedly defaming Congress President Sonia Gandhi,  Bar and Bench reported. The matter will be heard at 10.30 am on Friday by a bench of Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice MR Shah. Reportedly, hundreds of FIR have been filed against Goswami in various states across the country. [caption id=“attachment_5498251” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Arnab Goswami. CNN-News18[/caption] The journalist has been booked under bailable offences, including sections 153 (to punish persons who indulge in wanton vilification or attacks upon the religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc of any particular group or class or upon the founders and prophets of a religion), 505 (statement conducing to public mischief) and 505 (2) (in any place of worship or in an assembly engaged in the performance of religious worship or religious ceremonies) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the police said. Goswami has invited sharp criticism from Congress leaders for his remarks aimed at Gandhi during a TV discussion on the Palghar incident in which three persons, including two sadhus, were lynched. At least 16 complaints were filed against Goswami in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh. He sought a stay on any action that may be taken against him, adding that the FIRs and complaints were filed across various states and the petitioner would be unable to be present in multiple courts and police stations in the matter, reports Scroll.in

Two persons were also arrested on Thursday morning for allegedly attacking Goswami and his wife Samyabrata Ray in Mumbai.

With inputs from agencies