As Arnab spends second night in custody; Hansa, OpIndia & CJM facts crumble Maha govt lies

As Arnab Goswami has spent the second night in judicial custody, Republic Media Network puts more facts in the public domain, as the mountain of lies of the Maharashtra Government begin to crumble.

In a significant development in the fight for the truth, Republic Media Network has taken note of the reports in the public domain that indicate Hansa Research Group Private Ltd, the original complainant in the TRP case, has filed a writ petition against encounter cop Sachin Vaze, Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh, Chief investigating Officer Shashank Sandbhor, and the State of Maharashtra. The main charge levelled by Hansa Research is that the Mumbai Police tried to pressurise their top management to implicate Republic. Hansa Research has now sought a CBI probe into the TRP case. 

In another significant development, today the witness coercion tapes that alleged misuse of power to pressurise witnesses to fix and frame Republic will be submitted to the CBI.

We have no doubt that the true designs, the chief plotters and the architects of the malicious, vindictive and vengeful campaign against Republic will be exposed and brought to book before the people of India. 

These developments come at a time when the state of Maharashtra has launched an open assault on a free press and an official trampling of fundamental rights. The garb of reopening a closed case was used to drag our Editor-in-Chief, beat him, and bear the brunt of torture by the police.

On 4th November, following his medical examination, horrific visuals showed Arnab Goswami’s arm having gashes in footage that beamed across the world. In addition, our Editor-in-Chief was denied basic dignity as he was paraded bare feet during the legal proceedings.

Putting on-record the shocking ordeal he was put through in custody, Goswami managed to speak to the cameras during his medical examination and said, “It was Pradeep Patil, Sachin Vaze and 7 other policemen. They surrounded me, they held me by the scruff of my neck, they pushed me. I have come here without shoes. They did not let me wear my shoes. I have been assaulted. I want the people of the country to know”.

In fact, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Raigad Alibag, Smt SS Pingle in her order noted "I have physically verified the person of the accused. I found abrasions on the right -hand of the accused. Previous bandage of his right thumb was found to be pulled. Considering abovesaid abrasion marks it is incumbent upon Court to send him for medical examination to Civil Surgeon"

Further, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Raigad Alibag, rejected the Police custody sought by the Maharashtra Police and agreed with our submission that there was no chain showing any nexus between the suicide and Arnab Goswami and it was a contractual matter. The Remand Report stated, “Prima facie, the background/basis if the crime cannot be established. Similarly, prima facie, the link between the incident and its connection to the accused cannot be established. On these basis, when there is no evidence in a case ‘A’ summary in the case is accepted”.

While Republic Media Network is pursuing all legal remedies against this attempt to squander a free press in Maharashtra by wrongfully confining, illegally arresting and brutally assaulting a journalist who questioned the state machinery, we don’t have a shred of doubt that the truth and justice will prevail in its entirety.

Republic Media Network will fight for justice in the courts of public opinion and the courts of law. We appeal to the right thinking citizens to make their voice heard, and fight with us within the ambit of the rule of law.

Armed with the truth, Republic is prepared to fight to the very end with the people of India on our side. 

Our Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami will neither be intimidated nor be forced into submission despite the incessant torture, unparalleled political witchhunt and the unabated continued gross abuse of power by those in high offices against him, his family and the Republic Media Network. Justice will be done.