Court orders FIR against Arnab Goswami on Tharoor’s complaint

February 11: Patiala Court has ordered Delhi Police to register an FIR against Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami. Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor had filed a complaint against Arnab Goswami for allegedly accessing confidential documents relating to the probe in Sunanda Pushkar’s death. In his complaint, Tharoor alleged that these documents formed part of the investigation report in the case and were part of internal notings of the Police records.

It was further alleged  by Tharoor that RTI replies by the Delhi Police have shown that it is impermissible to share details of the probe with the public or media pending investigation. Republic TV was also alleged to have accessed Tharoor’s emails without his consent in addition to accessing confidential documents on their News Shows relating to Sunanda Pushkar’s death.

The court, in its four-page order, noted that a report was sought from the SHO concerned. The complainant (Shashi Tharoor), was represented by Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa with Advocates Gaurav Gupta and Muhammad Ali Khan. Tharoor has sought directions to be given to the Delhi Police to initiate action based on the complaint. Metropolitan Magistrate Dharmender Singh, in an order passed on January 21, has thus, directed the Delhi Police to register an FIR against the accused persons.

Sunanda Pushkar, the wife of Congress MP Sashi Tharoor was found dead in a luxury hotel in the capital on January 17, 2014. Delhi Police have filed a chargesheet in the case against Tharoor, accusing him of abetting his wife’s suicide. The trial court also restrained police from sharing the chargesheet with any third person, including the media.