Arnab Goswami granted bail by Supreme Court

New Delhi, Nov 11: The Supreme Court is hearing has granted bail to Republic TV editor, Arnab Goswami in connection with an alleged abetment to suicide case filed in 2018. The court ordered the release and two other on a personal bail bond of Rs 50,000.

Goswami had challenged the order of the Bombay High Court which had rejected his bail plea two days back.

"We hold High Court was incorrect in not granting bail. Arnab Goswami and two other accused, be released on interim bail on a bond of Rs 50,000. Commissioner of Police is directed to ensure order is followed immediately" the court also said.

Justice D Y Chandrachud said that if the constitutional courts do not interfere then we are travelling the path of destruction. Justice Chandrachud also said that he does not watch the channel.

If state governments target individuals, they must realise there is Supreme Court to protect liberty of citizens, the court said. Our democracy is extraordinarily resilient, the Bench while also adding the the point is governments should ignore them (taunts on television). This is not the basis on which elections are fought. You, the Maharashtra government think what they say makes any difference in the elections, the court asked.

If left to me, I do not watch the channel and you may differ in ideology. But if the Constitutional courts do not interfere today, we are travelling the path of destruction undeniably, Justice Chandrachud said.

Appearing for Goswami, senior counsel Harish Salve said that the power to re-investigate was wrongly used. The court said that it would only look at the petition seeking to quash the FIR. "Before you begin, there is one aspect we look at in these matters where there is a challenge to the FIRs. The only prayer which survives is the quashing of FIR," the Bench said.

"We're past FIR stage. FIR was lodged in May 2018 and after this matter was probed. The power to re-investigate was wrongly used," Salve told the Bench.