TRP case: No coercive steps against Republic TV and its employees till January 6, 2021, HC says

The Bombay high court (HC), while accepting the statement of the state that it will not take any coercive steps till January 6, 2021, has granted liberty to the

The Bombay high court (HC), while accepting the statement of the state that it will not take any coercive steps till January 6, 2021, has granted liberty to the investigators to continue their investigation and approach the court in case of urgency against Republic TV, its editor in chief Arnab Goswami and its employees, in the TRP manipulation case. The court also directed the state to serve notice to the other party before approaching the court and granted similar liberty to Republic TV and its employees. The HC had granted interim relief to the channel and its employees on December 15.

The court directed the state to serve notice to the other party before approaching the court and granted similar liberty to Republic TV and its employees (HT PHOTO)

The division bench of justice SS Shinde and justice MS Karnik also continued an interim relief, through which it directed the Mumbai Police to summon employees of Hansa Research Group, the complainant in the case, for inquiry only two days a week for a “reasonable time” until the next hearing. The company had asked for the probe to be transferred to the CBI.

On Tuesday, the bench, while hearing the pleas of Republic TV and ARG Outlier against the probe was informed by senior counsel Aabad Ponda that Mumbai Police had reached Delhi and there was an apprehension that they would arrest him, hence they sought a restraining order against Mumbai Police till the next hearing. He had further submitted that clause 12 of the charge sheet wherein the police had filed form 5 (c) giving them the right to arrest any employee of Republic TV was not valid as the Apex court had deemed the form to be illegal, hence the court should grant them relief.

On Wednesday, senior counsel Kapil Sibal for the state government sought time to file a response to the plea, and on instructions, submitted that the statement made on Tuesday that no coercive steps would be taken, will continue till January 6. The court accepted the statement and also permitted parties to the case, to approach the court in case of any urgency.

Anvay Naik abetment of suicide case

In the abetment of suicide case of an Alibag-based architect Anvay Naik and his mother, the court permitted Goswami to amend the petition to include the aspects mentioned in the charge sheet filed by the Alibag police, which has been taken cognisance of, by the Alibag magistrate on Wednesday afternoon and posted the matter for hearing on January 6, 2021, through video conferencing.

After allowing senior counsel Aabad Ponda the liberty to amend the petition, the court also directed the Alibag court to expedite the issuance of charge sheet to the petitioners.