‘Was attacked while returning home’: Arnab Goswami files police complaint

Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami and his wife were attacked past midnight on Wednesday in Mumbai by two unknown people while they were driving home from their studios, a complaint filed by the television journalist said.

Goswami and his wife escaped unhurt in the attack.

The Republic TV chief has filed a police complaint in which he said that the attack took place around 12:15 am. “Two men on a motorcycle overtook my car and tried to identify who was driving. They then blocked the path of my car with their two-wheeler. The pillion rider hit the right side driver window several times and after realising that the car windows were up, the pillion rider removed a liquid bottle from his pocket and threw liquid on the driver’s side of the car where I was sitting,” Goswami said in his complaint.

He also said that the attackers were apprehended by Mumbai Police protection team.

In his complaint, Goswami pointed fingers at the Congress and mentioned a tweet by party leader Alka Lamba “just three hours after the attack”.

On Wednesday, Congress leaders had complained against Goswami accusing him of attempting to communalise the death of three persons in Maharashtra’s Palghar. Congress leader Nitin Raut also lodged a complaint against him in Nagpur on Wednesday. “It is an attempt to give religious colour to the incident by the media. Goswami is one of them. We have decided to request the CM to take action against him,” said Raut.

An FIR was registered against him in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur after several complaints by Congress workers.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar condemned the attempt to attack Goswami. “This is against democracy and it is really ironical that those who preach tolerance have become so intolerant. Therefore we condemn this attempt,” said Javadekar.

He also called for action on the complaint.

BJP president JP Nadda said it was shocking to see Arnab Goswami attacked after Congress chief ministers “publicly threatened him”.

“Sad to see such public hounding of a journalist for his freedom of speech. Congress shows it is the party that brought Emergency and continues it’s rich tradition of trampling free speech,” he said.