Soon after Alibag police arrested Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV Arnab Goswami for abetting the suicide of 53-year interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik in 2018, his wife and daughter Akshata and Adnya Naik thanked the Maharashtra police for taking action in the case.
“We can’t forget the year 2018. We want to thank Maharashtra Police for standing by a daughter of Maharashtra,” Akshata told reporters.
“My husband in his suicide note had mentioned three names but no action was taken against them. Arnab Goswami is behind my husband’s death and I request every single Indian not to help him. Maharashtra police’s action is justice for us,” said Akshata Naik.
Adnya said, “My father spent his money, energy, blood and sweat on the project. Despite all that, Goswami ensured my father did not get his dues. He continuously threatened my father saying that he will finish his career and my career.”
Adnya also levelled allegations against the former investigating officer in the case Suresh Wadare.
“Between February and March 2019 we had gone to Alibag police station to collect my father’s suicide note and chemical analysis report. The investigation officer Suresh Wadare asked us to sign a paper and when we read it we found that they had mentioned a line the paper which read ‘We have filed this complaint to take revenge and now we want to take our case back.’ I remember this line but not the entire content. After reading the paper, I tried to take a picture of that which the officer opposed and then he tore the page and asked us to leave,” Adnya said.
{{/usCountry}}“Between February and March 2019 we had gone to Alibag police station to collect my father’s suicide note and chemical analysis report. The investigation officer Suresh Wadare asked us to sign a paper and when we read it we found that they had mentioned a line the paper which read ‘We have filed this complaint to take revenge and now we want to take our case back.’ I remember this line but not the entire content. After reading the paper, I tried to take a picture of that which the officer opposed and then he tore the page and asked us to leave,” Adnya said.
{{/usCountry}}Adnya also alleged that Arnaab was treated with privilege when he did not deserve it.
“Why was Arnab given privilege as an accused? Is he some god? His statement was recorded in the joint CP’s office in Mumbai police commissionerate. We met former Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Barve at that time. We met Anil Paraskar, SP Raigad several times and also wrote to PMO India. But no one helped us,”
She said her father’s case had been closed and she and her mother were not even aware of it.
“On my father’s death anniversary on May 5, 2020, we decided to raise our voice for justice and we uploaded some videos. Few days later Republic issued a statement on their Twitter handle saying that police had filed closure report in this case. It is then that we came to know that our case has been closed. The investigation was botched up earlier,” added Adnya.
She claimed they had filed four complaints after they started getting threats. “We have filed four complaints in 2020. Two at Murbad and two at Dadar police station after my mother and I started getting threats and people started following us,” said Adnya
When a journalist questioned them on which political party has supported them, Akshata said, “We don’t want to make it a political issue. We just want justice and a fair investigation.”