Samyabrata Ray Goswami writes to SC Secretary General after Dushyant Dave’s letter

To,

Secretary General,

Supreme Court of India,

New Delhi.

Subject: Malicious attempt by Shri Dushyant Dave, Senior Advocate to cause prejudice to hearing of my husband Arnab Ranjan Goswami’s petition in Hon’ble Supreme Court by his selective outr.

Dear Sir,

I am shocked at publicly circulated abhorrent letter by Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave to Secretary General of Supreme Court of India, implying that due process was t followed in listing of Special Leave Petition filed on behalf of my husband Arnab Goswami, who tonight spends his 7th night in custody which is clearly in breach of his fundamental and human rights.

My husband, a leading journalist of a national channel, was dragged, assaulted and n illegally arrested on 4th vember 2020. He was paraded without footwear, and an attempt was made by law & order machinery of State of Maharashtra to rob him of his dignity. Two days ago, he was denied legal access and taken to Taloja Jail after a morning assault in custody. He publicly expressed, while being transported to Taloja Jail, that his life was in danger.

For over a month w, our newsroom, our editorial staff, our manment and on-ground teams of Republic Media Network have borne brunt of a vindictive campaign at hands of state machinery of Maharashtra. My husband, Arnab Goswami and entire team at Republic has followed due process of law irrespective of ongoing trampling of free press and Emergency-like situation prevailing in state of Maharashtra.

Today, when I read Shri Dave’s letter, I am shocked and horrified at extent to which certain vested interests are at work. Neir do I kw Shri Dave, r have I ever met him. However, selective targeting of my husband’s petition by Shri Dave shall have to be opposed by me, given his silence on or matters which were taken up by this Hon’ble Supreme Court in its wisdom with urgency in past. Shri Dave’s silence in following matters and his selective outr in present case is t only prejudicial to cause of justice for my husband but is contemptuous as it tends to interfere with administration of justice.

• It is a fact that on 29 August, 2019 a petition in Romila Thappar vs Union of India (Writ Petition (criminal) Diary . 32319/2018) was taken up by Hon’ble Supreme Court on same day. This was a case in which one of lawyers for petitioner was Shri Dushyant Dave, who ironically is author of letter to Secretary General of Supreme Court of India questioning speed of listing of my husband’s case. duplicity of author speaks volumes of motivated intent. This was a matter t filed by any aggrieved parties but by few “public spirited persons” seeking to “protect human rights and fundamental freedoms” of certain individuals who are allegedly involved in alleged Naxalite activities.
• It is public kwledge that on 14th June, 2020, in peak of COVID pandemic, a special hearing was granted on a Sunday to ar senior journalist Shri Vid Dua in a petition filed by him under Art. 32 of Constitution of India challenging FIR filed against him. timeframe of listing n seem to have eluded SCBA President’s memory, reby giving me a strong reason to believe that present attack on my husband and attempt to stall due process are a case of selective outr.
• Furr, I have been informed that in case of Prashant Bhushan versus Jaydev Rajnikant writ petition was filed on 30 April, 2020 (again under Art. 32 of Constitution of India) in Supreme Court seeking to quash an FIR registered against him by Gujarat police and matter was listed to be heard on 1 May, 2020. Again, re was a stony silence on part of Mr Dave on this development.

In view of aforesaid, I have a strong reason to believe that letter referred to above is an attempt to sully character of my husband by selectively targeting him and prejudice his case which is up for hearing in Supreme Court tomorrow. I believe that re is an attempt to jeopardise cause of justice in my husband’s petition and to cast a shadow on hearing on matter.

As terrifyingly, by making repulsive insinuations regarding wielding of influence over highest judicial officers of this country, I believe Shri Dave has attempted to tarnish reputation, integrity, and independence of great institution of judiciary and has also attempted to cause prejudice to free and fair course of justice.

My husband is an honest journalist of over 20 years. He has built India’s number 1 news network on foundations of principles, integrity and accountability. While questions he may ask might make some quarters uncomfortable, what is playing out today is an attempt to use a state machinery to browbeat, fix and frame a journalist and threaten his life.

I am deeply disturbed that his life is under threat and that he has been in a jail meant for hardened criminals. I fear for his life and future as I appeal to highest courts of this country to deliver him and us justice.

I look to you with great hope, and inextinguishable faith in judiciary - as a wife seeking justice and as a citizen of this great country.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

Samyabrata Ray Goswami

Letter to Secretary General by Republic World on Scribd