Arnab Goswami moves SC against multiple FIRs for remarks against Sonia Gandhi

Republic TV's Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami on Thursday moved the Supreme Court for quashing of over 100 FIRs lodged against him in various parts of the country following his controversial comments against Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the wake of the Palghar lynching of Hindu Sadhus on April 16.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah is scheduled to hear the matter at 10.30 am on Friday, April 24 through video conferencing.

In his plea, he contended, "Complaints and the FIRs are false, vindictive, frivolous, malicious, precipitated with malice, untenable in law and have been filed with mala-fide intent by the Congress activists to coerce, harass and intimidate him in order to muzzle the media and in particular him, from carrying these news reports and conducting investigative journalism to bring the truth before the public."

Goswami has approached the apex court through his counsel Pragya Baghel. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi is expected to argue on his behalf in the case.

The petitioner, who is the main anchor of the TV channel, is aggrieved against the registration of over 100 FIRs against him in Maharashtra, Chhatisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Telangana.

He asked the court to ensure no coercive action was taken by any court on the basis of these FIRs and complaints filed by members of Congress party in gross violation of his fundamental rights, including but not limited to the right of freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 (1) (a) and right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.

He also sought a direction to the Centre to provide adequate safety and security to him and his family members and his family and his colleagues at Republic TV and R Bharat at various locations in the country.

Goswami alleged that he and his wife were attacked allegedly by Congress workers on the early morning of Thursday when they were returning to their home from Mumbai studio.

He also maintained that complaints and FIRs were a part of a well-coordinated and malicious campaign by the Congress and its members of instituting false and baseless complaints against him before different police stations simultaneously in various parts of the country.

"The machinery of these states have been set in motion with an oblique and ulterior motive and without due and proper application of mind," Goswami claimed.

He alleged that facts clearly demonstrated that the prominent political party and its members' harbour ill-will, hatred and personal vendetta against him.