A division bench of justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik took up the plea filed by the TV channel, seeking to quash the Mumbai Police FIR in TRP fraud case and also against the charge sheet filed by the police.
After the state government said that it would not take any action against Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and other employees of ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd in the TRP fraud case until further hearing, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday accepted the statement and extended relief to the channel’s employees from coercive action until the next hearing on January 15.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the state government, told the court that it was only agreeing to no coercive steps due to the adjournment sought by Republic TV’s lawyer citing a family medical emergency as it has found ‘serious evidence’ against Goswami. He clarified that the government would not be willing to continue with its assurance at the next hearing.
A division bench of justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik took up the plea filed by the TV channel, seeking to quash the Mumbai Police FIR in TRP fraud case and also against the charge sheet filed by the police.
During the earlier hearing last month, the court was informed by the counsel for ARG Outlier and Goswami that they were apprehensive of Mumbai Police arresting the Republic editor-in-chief and other employees and, hence, sought interim relief restraining Mumbai Police from doing so till the next date of hearing.
The state government had issued a statement saying that no coercive action or steps would be taken against the persons named in the charge sheet filed by Mumbai Police till further hearing.
On Wednesday, advocate Niranjan Mundargi sought more time stating that senior counsel Ashok Mundargi, who is arguing for the network, had to deal with a medical emergency in the family.
To which, senior counsel Sibal responded, “I cannot possibly oppose this. We (state government) have found some serious evidence in our investigation with the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). I do not wish to continue my earlier statement. But because of this extreme emergency, I have agreed. I will not extend it beyond that date (next hearing.)” However, the state government was free to continue its investigation in the case, he submitted.
Sibal said that the status report pertaining to the probe will be submitted to the court. Agreeing to the same, the bench permitted parties to the case to approach the court by giving a notice to the other side in case of any urgency.
In another case, the bench granted three weeks to the Republic TV editor-in-chief and another accused Feroze Sheikh to amend their pleas and challenge cognisance of the charge sheet received by Alibaug magistrate in the case involving the alleged abetment to suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik in 2018.
Source: Read Full Article
