‘Victory of the people of India’: Arnab Goswami walks out of Taloja Jail after Supreme Court grants interim bail
On November 4, Goswami was arrested from his residence in Mumbai’s Lower Parel by Alibaug police for allegedly abetting the suicide of an interior designer Anvay Naik, 53
Hours after the Supreme Court granted interim bail on Wednesday, Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami walked out of Mumbai’s Taloja Jail in adjoining Raigad district.
At around 8.30 pm, Goswami, who was granted interim bail in the 2018 abetment to suicide case, stepped out of the jail and waved at people gathered outside. The journalist thanked the apex court for its judgement as he flashed victory sign to the crowd outside Taloja jail.
“This is the victory of the people of India,” Goswami said.
On November 4, Goswami was arrested from his residence in Mumbai’s Lower Parel by Alibaug police for allegedly abetting the suicide of an interior designer Anvay Naik, 53. The abetment to suicide case was filed by Naik’s wife in May 2018.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court court ordered the release of Goswami and two other accused in the 2018 suicide case, allowing the accused to be released from Taloja jail on personal bond of Rs 50,000.
Also read | Arnab Goswami, granted bail by SC, seeks shield to prevent his arrest again
The apex court’s order came on separate pleas filed by the three accused against a Bombay high court’s November 9 order where it refused them interim bail in the matter.
The bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee said that the high court was wrong to reject interim bail pleas submitted by the accused. “We are of the view that the HC was in error of rejecting the application for grant of interim bail,” Supreme Court said on Wednesday while announcing its order.
During the long hearing, Goswami’s lawyer, senior advocate Harish Salve accused the state of targeting his client.“We’re past FIR stage. FIR was lodged in May 2018 and after this matter was probed. The power to re-investigate was wrongly used,” Salve told the court.
“We are dealing with a person’s liberty. Across the country, if this court is not to interfere today, we are treading on a path of destruction of liberty. You may dislike a person’s ideology and challenge it but if this is what our States will do to nail persons, we have to put across this message to all high courts to preserve the liberty of citizens,” the bench said.
