An application has been filed by a lawyer against Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, accusing him of misleading the Supreme Court.
Advocate Reepak Kansal asked the top court to order perjury proceedings against Mr. Goswami for providing “misleading information” in his plea to quash the FIRs registered against him for spreading hate in connection with his coverage of the Palghar lynching incident. Mr. Goswami has staunchly denied the charges and termed them “politically motivated”.
On April 25, the Supreme Court had granted him interim protection from arrest and transferred the case from Nagpur to Mumbai. Mr. Goswami has already accused the Mumbai Police of bias in their investigation.
The police have, in turn, accused Mr. Goswami of trying to intimidate the investigating officers.
The case is scheduled for hearing on May 11 before a Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kansal argued that broadcasting employees and TV anchors do not answer to the description of an ‘editor’ in the Press and Registration of Books Act and the Working Journalists Act.
“No law is enacted or amended till today to bring broadcasting employees / Anchors in the definition of Journalist or Editor and electronic broadcasting channels are also not covered under the definition of ‘PRESS’,” the petition contended.