BJP MLA raises Arnab's arrest at Maha Rights Violation Committee; shares Balasaheb's words

Slamming the arrest of  Republic Media Network chief Arnab Goswami, BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar on Thursday announced that the state legislature's Rights Violation Committee will meet today and Arnab's arrest will be discussed in the meeting. He urged Shiv Sena members on the panel to pay heed to Sena founder later Balasaheb Thackeray's words on dissent, before deciding. The Bombay High Court's 2-judge bench will hear Arnab's plea seeking bail and Adnya Naik's plea seeking reinvestigation of the 2018 Anvay Naik suicide case.

Arnab Goswami Arrested LIVE Updates: Bombay HC to hear both sides at 3 PM tomorrow

BJP MLA: 'Listen to Balasaheb'

Sharing an old video of Balasaheb, BJP urged Shiv Sena to heed to Thackeray's words. In the video, the senior Thackeray is heard saying, "If they don't like my writings, they file cases against me saying it is incendiary'. Who loses by this? If nationalism is not inculcated in the nation's youth, should we fill it in the municipality's taps? I don't care about notices and will continue to talk on the nation's welfare."

He adds, "The issue is if such cases are put against journalists, then it will be difficult to write. If I write anything incendiary, then there is the Home department in Delhi and an independent body like the Press council of India to take action on me. As a journalist and Shiv Sena chief, I have to write for the rights of the people on whose votes you have been elected to the Assembly. I will use my right to express freely."

BJP MLA demands Maharashtra CM & HM's resignation as court denies police custody of Arnab

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ram Kadam, who met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari seeking action on nine police officers who assaulted Arnab while arresting him at his residence. He said that Arnab's supporters will feed sweets to Sena MP Sanjay Raut once Arnab is granted bail. Several major BJP MLAs and ministers - Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, S Jaishankar etc have slammed Uddhav Thackeray and Congress for the arrest, comparing the assault on free press to those during the 1975 Emergency.

Arnab Goswami’s arrest a case of overdoing, sends wrong impression to the world: Former SG

Arnab's shocking arrest

On Wednesday at 7:45 AM, the Mumbai Police barged into the house of Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and forcefully dragged him out, arresting him under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code in the 2018 Anvay Naik suicide case. The police personnel not only stopped Arnab from handing over medicines to his parents-in-law but also physically assaulted him and his son, while dragging him to NM Joshi Marg police station, refusing to let him wear his shoes. Arnab was neither served prior summons nor allowed access to his legal team. Shockingly, Mumbai police have also filed an FIR against Arnab, his wife and his son for allegedly assaulting the police.

SP Raigad summoned over Arnab Goswami's arrest by Maharashtra HRC; full details sought

Mumbai police then handed him over to Raigad police, which took him to Alibag Police Station, where his lawyer informed that Arnab had suffered an injury on his left hand after being heckled by the police. As per the lawyer, he was pulled by his belt and was beaten on the back of his spine. While the Chief Judicial Magistrate rejected the plea of the Raigad police who had sought police custody, Arnab was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody. Arnab has challenged his arrest in the Bombay HC and sought bail.