Amid the Wuhan-originated Coronavirus pandemic, the priorities of the Uddhav Thackeray led Maharashtra government are crystal clear – to force Republic TV to shut down and to ensure that Arnab Goswami is behind the bars for the foreseeable future. In its zeal to hound Arnab Goswami, the Maharashtra government in its charge sheet in the Anvay Naik suicide case has revealed that Naik killed his own mother before committing suicide.
The Raigad police in its charge sheet revealed that Anvay Naik called his mother Kumud Naik in his farmhouse who was a partner in his company and then proceeded to tie his mother and strangle her to death as Anvay thought his mother would face troubles after his suicide. After killing his mother, Anvay then proceeded to commit suicide while also leaving behind a suicide note naming Arnab Goswami, Firoz Sheikh and Nitesh Sarda according to the charge sheet.
It is pertinent to note that the charge sheet holds Arnab Goswami and two others responsible for the death of Anvay Naik either directly or indirectly which contradicts the Supreme Court observation that mere non-payment of dues can’t amount to abetment of suicide unless the accused played any direct move.
While it was believed that the three party alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi will be fraught with contradictions and inconsistency, it is disheartening to see the way the ruling alliance came together to ensure that Goswami is hounded and vilified to the hilt. The State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh personally intervened to ensure the charge sheet sees the light of the day as last month Deshmukh had proudly proclaimed that, “strong chargesheet” would be filed against Arnab Goswami “soon”.
This charge sheet of Raigad police comes a day after Arnab Goswami filed an interim application in the Bombay High Court seeking a stay on the filing of charge sheet and further proceedings in the case. In the petition, Goswami said that the state machinery was interfering in the case with a “malafide premeditated diktat to the law and order officers” and further claimed that the Maharashtra Government’s announcement of reinvestigation reeked of the “malice, spiteful nature and vendetta of the political dispensation.”
Understanding well that Maharashtra Government had a biased vendetta against him, Goswami in his petition sought transfer of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation or any other independent investigating agency outside the purview of the MVA led state government.
The charge sheet is further proof that the Maharashtra government can go to any extent to ensure Goswami is put behind the bars again.