FIR Against Arnab Goswami, Wife and Son for ‘Assaulting’ Police Officials During Arrest

The FIR, registered by a Mumbai police constable, accuses the Republic TV editor in chief and others of assaulting police officials and trying to obstruct them when they reached his house to arrest him on Wednesday.

Arnab Goswami. Credit: Facebook/Republic TV

New Delhi: The Mumbai Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against Republic TV’s editor in chief Arnab Goswami, his wife Samyabrata Goswami, son and two others for allegedly assaulting police officials and trying to obstruct them when they reached his house here to arrest him.

A team of Alibaug police arrested Goswami earlier on Wednesday for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 53-year-old interior designer and his mother in 2018.

While he was being taken away in a police van, Goswami was heard claiming that the police assaulted him in his house. The police have registered an FIR against him, Samyabrata Goswami and two others for allegedly assaulting officials and for verbal abuse.

The First Information Report (FIR) was registered against him and others at N.M. Joshi Marg Police Station in Mumbai under IPC sections 353 (assault to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and under the Damage to Public Property Act, an official said.

Also Read: Arnab Goswami Arrest: The Maharashtra Police Is Getting Dangerously Politicised and Partisan

SG Tanvade, a female police constable who was part of the team which arrested Goswami from his Lower Parel residence here, filed the complaint. According to Bar & Bench, Tanvade’s statement claims that Goswami told the police, “I am a journalist, I will ensure action is taken against the police.”

As per the complaint, Goswami, Samyabrata Goswami, son and an unidentified man and a woman tried to obstruct the officials when they were arresting the journalist.

Samyabrata Goswami tore up the arrest intimation papers which the police wanted her to sign, the complaint alleged.

Tanvade concludes her statement by stating that the accused in the FIR took all measures to ensure that Arnab could not be arrested by the police and hence she was compelled to file this FIR.

On Wednesday, a court in Alibaug remanded Goswami to 14 days’ judicial custody. His bail plea will be heard today.

(WIth PTI inputs)