Supreme Court gives stay order on coercive action against Arnab Goswami for 3 weeks

April 24: On Friday, the Supreme Court  granted protection against any coercive steps for three weeks to Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in connection with the multiple FIRs registered against him in some states over his remarks on a TV show related to the Palghar lynchingcase and against Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi.

The bench of justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah also issued notices to the Centre, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and union territory of Jammu and Kashmir where cases have been registered against Goswami. The court also ordered that there be no investigation in any fresh FIR arising out of the “April 21 TV show. The court also said no coercive action should be taken against Goswami for the next three weeks, so he has time to apply for anticipatory bail.

The FIRs were filed for alleged hate speeches and for defamation of Congress president Sonia Gandhi for remarks made by Goswami during his primetime show on the Hindi language channel of his Republic TV which aired on April 21. Goswami had moved the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking a stay on the FIRs.