Arnab Goswami arrest: Will look into role of cops who carried out probe too, says Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday said reopening of the investigation into the 2018 Anvay Naik case, in which Republic TV’s editor Arnab Goswami

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday said reopening of the investigation into the 2018 Anvay Naik case, in which Republic TV’s editor Arnab Goswami has been arrested for suicide abetment, was not owing to political vendetta and every angle, including the role of the police officers investigating the case then, would be looked into.

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Excerpts:

What made police reopen the case? Is there any fresh evidence?

After the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi came to the power last year, Anvay Naik’s wife, Akshata, and his daughter, Adnya, met me requesting a re-investigation into the case. She alleged that the case was hushed up under political pressure by the previous Fadnavis government. We assured them that we would investigate the case. She had also moved the local court demanding reopening of the case under section 173(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). She alleged that police did not carry out a proper investigation and due procedure of closure, too, was not followed. Neither was their statement taken, nor were they informed about the closure. On October 15, the court allowed the police to reopen the case. The Raigad police are now investigating it thoroughly.

Yes, I had announced a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe after the Naiks met me, but then we realised that the case was closed by the police. Now, the Raigad police will continue the investigation. There is no need for a CID probe at this juncture.

Why did the police close the case without investigating it properly, as is being alleged?

A suicide note by Anvay Naik was precise and sufficient to prove abetment. Handwriting experts had certified that it was written by the deceased. There was no reason to close it. Akshata and Aadnya, however, told me the police hushed up the case under pressure from the then political leadership. She even named then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. She said she had met Fadnavis, who also headed the home department, urging for the justice, to no avail.

It is also alleged that Goswami’s statement in the case was recorded in the cabin of one of the top officers from the Mumbai Police force at its headquarters. There is a murmur in the force that investigating officer in the case submitted his report after his transfer to other district…

There are allegations. The police will look into them too. Naiks have even alleged there was pressure from the political leadership to not call Goswami to Alibag for the statement. The role of the investigating officer too will be look into. Based on the report, action would be initiated. The investigation will also bring forward the political role in the case.

The BJP has termed it “indirect imposition of the Emergency” and “suppression of freedom of press”. Comment.

This case has nothing to do with the freedom of press or action against the fourth pillar of democracy. It is an individual case against Goswami as a person arising out of a breach of contract between his company and Naik. BJP leaders should answer why they were blowing the Sushant Singh Rajput (SSR) case out of proportion by projecting it as a murder, when there was no suicide note, like in this case. Why have they been beating around the bush even after an expert panel of doctors from Cooper Hospital in Mumbai and AIIMS in Delhi said there was no foul play in SSR’s death. There is no question of any political vendetta, but we are trying to get justice for the family.

Does it mean the BJP is shielding Arnab Goswami? Why would it do so, according to you?

I don’t want to say anything, but people say or even Naiks have said that Goswami speaks BJP’s language. Police have been investigating the cases against him as per the law.