‘There is Supreme Court to protect liberty of citizens’: What top court said while hearing Arnab’s bail plea

The petition is being heard by a vacation bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee. During the hearing, the top court also asked the state whether there was any need for custodial interrogation.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday began heard Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami’s petition for interim bail in a 2018 abetment to suicide case. Lawyer Harish Salve appeared for Goswami and argued that the power to re-investigate was wrongly used at the time of his arrest. The top court questioned the Maharashtra government and said that it would be a travesty of justice if the personal liberty of a person is curtailed like this.

Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami. (Reuters)

The petition is being heard by a vacation bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee. During the hearing, the top court also asked the state whether there was any need for custodial interrogation.

Here are the top quotes from the Supreme Court bench during the hearing:

“Whatever be his ideology, I don’t even watch his channel but if in this case constitutional court’s do not interfere today, we are travelling the path of destruction undeniably,” Justice Chandrachud.

“The point is can you deny the personal liberty of a person on these allegations?” Justice Chandrachud asked while questioning the Maharashtra government.

“If state governments target individuals, they must realise there is a Supreme court to protect the liberty of citizens.”

“We are dealing with personal liberty here and because he was owed money, Naik committed suicide due to financial stress. Is this a case of custodial questioning?... Assuming the FIR is the gospel truth and that is a matter of investigation but is not paying up money abetment to suicide? It will be a travesty of justice if bail is not granted while FIR is pending.”

The top court is hearing Goswami’s plea seeking interim bail in the case of alleged abetment to suicide of designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud in 2018. Goswami has challenged the Bombay High Court’s November 9 order refusing to grant him bail in the case.

He was arrested on November 4 along with two other accused - Feroz Shaikh and Nitesh Sarda.