Arnab's arrest: Freedom of speech violation or personal vendetta

 "There can be no existence of free citizens if the news media cannot speak, and therefore journalistic freedom lies at the core of freedom of expression, but it is not absolute,” said the Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah in May 2020.

The observation was made while asking Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami to move the competent court to quash an FIR for a news show on Palghar mob-lynching. The transfer of the probe from Maharashtra Police to CBI was refused by the bench, however, it extended some relief to Goswami by providing him protection for the coming three weeks from the hearing.

Today, around five months later, Arnab Goswami is arrested by the Maharashtra police (in a suicide case of an architect), and the discussions are once again rising regarding the “freedom of the press”. 

Arnab Goswami, as we all know is one of India's top news anchors. His name has been looming in courtrooms and newsrooms alike in the past few months. From conducting a parallel investigation in the case of a Bollywood actor who committed suicide, to allegations of rigging the TRP system for his own news house’s goodwill.

According to the policemen who waited nearly two hours from early morning at the doorsteps of Goswami, said that the Republic TV founder is being taken for investigation regarding his alleged role in the death of an architect.

Anvay Naik, who designed the Republic studio took his life in 2018. This was followed by his wife accusing Goswami of not paying Naik, eventually leading to the death of him and his mother. However, Goswami and Republic TV network denied the allegation.

Naik’s wife has ever since been campaigning on social media for the case to be investigated thoroughly as she claimed to have hold of the suicide note left behind by Naik blaming Goswami for his death. Following Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s recent orders, a special team began an investigation in the case which has led to the arrest of Goswami.

Since the event that took place today morning, Republic TV has continuously accused the police of barging into their Editor-in-chief’s house and "manhandling" Goswami's family members. Various videos have surfaced of the so-called “attack” by a fleet of assault rifles carrying police and even more videos of Goswami telling reporters present there, that the policemen had attacked his son and in-laws in the process. 

While most news channels have been busy reporting the live status of the US election, Republic TV is on the fight to bring forth the idea of “a second emergency” on show by the Maha government. This is an immensely powerful statement to make and it has taken Twitter by storm.

We are all aware of Arnab Goswami’s overly aggressive style of anchoring and questioning, and his set of drama on screen. Meanwhile, some of his critics, who believe his views have become more sympathetic towards the right-wing politics of the country, have come forward to state that the arrest was nothing but a personal vendetta of the Maha government towards the star anchor.

It is as clear as sky how particularly critical was Goswami regarding the conducting of Mumbai police in the case of a Bollywood actor’s death. He never held back while accusing the Mumbai police department of being lenient in their investigation of this certain case. He has also been critical of Maharashtra’s coalition government headed by regional Shiv Sena party - a former ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party on multiple occasions.

Taken into consideration the number of remarks made by the star anchor, Republic TV’s claims that Goswami has been targeted over his journalism, can’t be completely dismissed. It has even come as a surprise that many on various social media platforms, even those who do not like his brand of journalism, have come forward to question the arrest and grounds in which it was made.

While it is clear that the personal vengeance of the state government can lead to one such situation, one must also consider the fact that Goswami’s level of critical journalism could have been to favour the nation’s right-wing government which has openly slammed and fought with the Maha government’s leaders. As far as freedom of speech is considered, this is a neutral case. If the allegations made by Naik’s wife turns out to be true, the ruckus we create today to support Goswami will become nothing but a forced mistake. However, if the allegations turn out false, it will reassure the fact that the Maha government acts like “goons” given vengeance in situations, exactly the way Republic TV claims.