Siddharth Kamble of the Republican Party of India wants an FIR to be registered against journalist Arnab Goswami for intentionally spreading rumours and making provocative statements with intend to cause breach of peace and tranquillity in the guise of covering the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Siddharth Kamble, the party’s Pune president, wrote a letter to the senior police officer at Khadak police station through advocate Tosif Shaikh on Wednesday stating: “Mr. Goswami is a self-proclaimed journalist who is misusing the media channel for spreading rumours, for creating hatred with intent to disrupt the government established by law in Maharashtra. And intentionally spreading rumours and giving provocative statements with the intend to cause breach of peace and tranquillity and causing public mischief prejudicial to maintenance of harmony while covering the case.”
The letter also said, “Mr. Goswami is hampering the said investigation, being carried out by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and conducting parallel media trail/investigation, likewise he is conducting chief examination/cross examination by calling the witnesses in his studio, which is against the provisions of Law. He intentionally, publishes (broadcast) and circulates statements, rumours and reports with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public, and to the section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State.”
Mr. Kamble therefore sought that Mr. Goswami be booked under Sections 152 (assaulting or obstructing public servant when suppressing riot, etc.), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.