Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami’s petition for interim bail in a 2018 abetment to suicide case is being heard today by the Supreme Court. A two-judge bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee are hearing the case through video conferencing two days after the Bombay High Court turned down his plea against his arrest and the reopening of the case. “I do not watch the channel,” said Justice Chandrachud adding that if constitutional courts do not interfere, “we are traveling the path of destruction undeniably”.
Here are top 5 quotes of the Supreme Court:
- Assuming the FIR is the gospel truth and that’s 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, Mr Sibal. (Kapil Sibal represents the Maharashtra government in the case)
- If left to me, I do not watch the channel and you may differ in ideology, but if constitutional courts do not interfere today, we are traveling the path of destruction undeniably.
- Our democracy is extraordinarily resilient.
- Point is, governments should ignore them (taunts on TV). This is not the basis on which elections are fought. You (Maharashtra) think what they say makes any difference in the elections?
- If state governments target individuals, they must realise there is Supreme Court to protect liberty of citizens.
Ahead of the hearing in the Bombay High Court, the Republic TV promoter had moved the sessions court for bail. The High Court said the lower court must take a decision within four days.
Mr Goswami’s lawyers – Harish Salve and Abad Ponda – argued in the high court that the police have not met the legal requirement of getting a court’s consent for reopening the case, which led to his arrest.
The case was closed earlier when the BJP was in power in Maharashtra after the police told a court that there was no evidence to proceed against the accused and prosecute them.
NDTV
