Updated April 23rd, 2020 at 20:10 IST

Haryana CM Manohar Khattar slams Congress goons for attack on Arnab Goswami & his wife

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar issued a strong condemnation of the physical attack on Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and his wife

Reported by: Akhil Oka
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On Thursday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar issued a strong condemnation of the physical attack on Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and his wife Samyabrata Ray Goswami. He slammed goons from the Congress party for trampling free speech. Maintaining that an attack on the media must never be tolerated, he called upon the Maharashtra police to immediately act against the Congress goons. 

Read: Journalist Gurumurthy Slams 'intolerant' Cong Over Attack On Arnab; Urges Media To Unite

Attack on Arnab

The attack took place barely 500 metres away from Arnab's house in the wee hours of Thursday as he and Samyabrata were driving back following his show, with Arnab driving their Toyota Corolla. Masked goons on a bike overtook and blocked Arnab's car and proceeded to hurl bottles along with abuses after taking a good hard look to identify him in the front seat. Arnab's security caught the attackers, who are now in the custody of Mumbai police and are being questioned.

They confessed to Arnab's Mumbai police attache who is an undersigned in the complaint that they had been sent by party higher-ups to teach Arnab a lesson. This comes after Arnab had questioned Congress president Sonia Gandhi in his debate mere hours earlier. After the attack, Arnab registered a complaint at the NM Joshi Marg Police Station in Mumbai. In the complaint copy dated April 23, Arnab has detailed the sequence of events before the attack. 

Read: Smriti Irani Slams Attack On Arnab & Samyabrata, Laments Congress 'won't Spare Family'

Many hours later, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 3, Mumbai informed on Thursday that an FIR had been registered against two individuals under Section 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint) and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code. However, the FIR has no mention of the involvement of the Youth Congress despite the complaint copy clearly mentioning the details about the Congress link. In the complaint, Arnab wrote, "Congress leader Alka Lamba's celebration of the attack on me further reinforces my belief that this attack on me and my wife Samyabrata Ray has been orchestrated by Sonia Gandhi and her close circle of Congress leaders at a time when we have raised questions about her accountability in several cases."

Read: 'We Must Respect The Voice Of The Media', Meghalaya CM Condemns Attack On Arnab Goswami 

Read: Yogeshwar Dutt Condemns Attack On Arnab Goswami, Asks 'no Freedom To Speak Against Oppn?'

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Published April 23rd, 2020 at 20:10 IST