Bombay HC to pronounce order in Arnab Goswami's plea against illegal arrest on Monday

The Bombay High Court will pronounce its order on Republic Media Network Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami’s plea against illegal arrest and for interim bail in a 2018 case on Monday at 3 pm. The court had reserved its order on Saturday after arguments from Arnab Goswami’s lawyer - Senior Advocate Harish Salve - and those representing Maharashtra state, the other co-accused and the informant (Anvay Naik's family), hearing the case for three days in a row. Arnab continued to remain in judicial custody in Alibaug for a fourth consecutive night after his illegal arrest and shocking manhandling by Raigad Police on Wednesday.

READ: Bombay HC Reserves Order On Plea Against Illegal Arrest; Arnab Continues To Be In Custody

Bombay HC to pronounce verdict on Monday 

Justice SS Shinde and Justice MS Karnik will pronounce the order via video-conferencing on Monday 3 pm, a court notice informed. This was after the judges had stated that they will try to pronounce the order ‘as early as possible’ and ‘sometime next week’ while reserving its verdict on the interim bail plea. When requested by Goswami’s lawyer Harish Salve for an order on Saturday, Justice Shinde had stated that it was too late to pass an order as it was 6pm by then.

The judge also had allowed Arnab Goswami to approach the sessions court to seek bail under Section 439 and that if such an application would be filed, the decision had to be taken in four days.

READ: Arnab Goswami Arrested LIVE Updates: Bombay HC To Pronounce Its Order On Monday At 3 Pm

Harish Salve had made blistering arguments on Saturday as well as the day before, calling the arrest illegal and raising numerous past verdicts on the ground for abetment to suicide not being sufficient for arrest.

Arnab Goswami arrested

Arnab Goswami was arrested by Raigad Police in shocking turn of events from his residence in Mumbai’s Lower Parel on Wednesday in the 2018 abetment to suicide case, that was reopened. He was  physically assaulted and dragged, and his family was also manhandled during the process. At the Alibag court, he alleged that he was further assaulted, showing the injuries on his hand and that he was not even allowed to wear his shoes.

The arrest of Arnab Goswami was heavily condemned across the nation for the blatant attack on freedom of speech amid the Mumbai Police’s shocking witch-hunt against Republic. Apart from bigwigs like Home Minister Amit Shah reacting strongly, people have taken to the streets holding banners and protest marches for the journalist.   

READ: Jiah Khan's Mother Speaks Against Arnab's Arrest, Appeals To Stand Up Against ‘corruption’

READ: Veterans In Bengaluru Demand Arnab's Release, Condemn The Actions Of The Maharashtra Govt