The world is indeed a small place. The Mumbai Police has been hounding senior journalist Arnab Goswami for the past year, ever since the Republic Media Network founder took up the case of the two Hindu sadhus who were lynched in Maharashtra’s Palghar, and subsequently, fought for justice in the Sushant Singh Rajput suicide case. A number of cases across the country, particularly in Maharashtra were filed against Goswami. However, in the latest news, the Mumbai Police has closed all chapter proceedings against Arnab Goswami as the enquiry against him was not completed within the stipulated six-month window. The chapter proceedings related to Arnab’s coverage of the Palghar mob lynching and the gathering of migrants outside Bandra station during the lockdown.
Live Law reported that Assistant Commissioner of Police Sudhir Jambavdekar (Worli Division) passed the order, on Saturday, following Goswami’s application under section (116) of the Criminal Procedure Code. A chapter proceeding is a preventive measure the police take to keep a check on anti-social elements (facing serious criminal charges) in the city.
Why is the Mumbai Police – which has been going after Goswami for the past year, suddenly softening its stance? Well, as it turns out, Arnab Goswami, seemingly, was not a person the Mumbai Police and its political bosses should have messed with. As luck would have it, police officials who played an instrumental role in illegally arresting Arnab Goswami in the Anvay Naik suicide case and harassing him with other cases are finding their lives turned upside down. Whether it be Sachin Vaze or Riyaz Kazi who kicked Goswami in the knees and pulled him by his belt respectively while arresting him, all of them are now facing the music.
Coincidentally, tainted cop Sachin Vaze, who was reinstated on political instructions by the Mumbai Police overnight last year, has now landed himself in Taloja jail, where Goswami was housed during his arrest. Not only Mumbai Police’ ordinary cops, but even Anil Deshmukh, who ordered the arrest of Goswami, has been forced to resign from his post as Home Minister following startling revelations made by former Mumbai Police commissioner of the NCP leader asking him to extort Rs. 100 crores every month from various establishments in the city.
As for Param Bir Singh, the man responsible for opening a baseless ‘TRP scam’ case against the Republic Media Network, nothing much remains of his career. Evidently, Arnab Goswami has turned into a landmine which the Mumbai Police and its bosses should not have stepped on. Now, Goswami is blowing up in their faces and imperilling their lives and reputation, while also landing many of them in jail.