Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Thursday that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to protest against the arrest of someone accused of abetment to suicide and attempt to murder, they can do so as it is their democratic right.
He was speaking in reference to the arrest of Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami on Wednesday. Gowswami was arrested in Mumbai for alleged abetment of the suicide of an interior designer in 2018.
“If someone is arrested under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) and 307 (attempt to murder) and the BJP wants to protest against it, they may do so as everyone has that right in democracy. But, I can ensure that injustice won’t be done to anyone,” Sanjay Raut said.
After the editor’s arrest on Wednesday, several leaders including union ministers Amit Shah, Smriti Irani and Prakash Javadekar spoke up against the police action and drew parallels with the Emergency. Shah called the arrest a ‘blatant misuse of state power’.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar slammed the police for their action. “Shades of the Emergency! The arrest of Arnab Goswami is an attack on the freedom of press. Those who really believe in this freedom must speak up!” he tweeted. Sanjay Raut on the other hand asserted that the arrest followed due law and procedures. “Police can take action if they have evidence against anyone,” he said.
A local court on October 16 allowed the Alibag police to reopen the case for further investigation and Goswami moved the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the fresh case two days before he was arrested. He was remanded in custody until November 18.
Source: Himdustan Times
