No bail yet for Arnab, hearing in High Court to continue today
Mumbai: There was no immediate relief for Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, arrested in a 2018 abetment of suicide case, on Friday as the hearing on his interim bail plea before the Bombay High Court remained incomplete.
The court on Saturday will continue to hear his petition seeking interim bail and challenging his arrest in connection with the suicide of architect-interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother.
Goswami was arrested in the case by Alibaug police in neighbouring Raigad district on Wednesday, and a magistrate's court there remanded him in judicial custody till November 18.
A division bench of Justices S S Shinde and M S Karnik heard arguments by his lawyers Harish Salve and Aabad Ponda on Friday, but said the hearing will continue on Saturday for paucity of time.
"We will assemble for this matter tomorrow at noon. Since regular court work will not be there tomorrow, we can hear this matter at length," the HC said. The high court normally does not assemble on Saturdays.
The bench, during the hearing, noted that the normal practice when seeking bail is to first approach the concerned lower court magistrate or sessions court -- and move the high court if bail is refused.
To this, Salve said section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) gives the high court special powers to hear bail pleas.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday issued show cause notice to the Secretary of Maharashtra legislative assembly asking him to explain in two weeks as to why the contempt proceedings be not initiated against him for his letter to journalist Arnab Goswami purportedly cautioning him against disclosing house notice to the top court.
The apex court, which also granted protection from arrest to the journalist in the Maharashtra assembly breach of privilege motion case, took strong note of lOctober 13 letter of the assembly secretary and said he has prima facie committed its contempt.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S ABobde expressed anger when senior lawyer Harish Salve, appearing for Goswami, referred to the contents of the letter of the assembly secretary to the journalist.
