Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
Owner of Republic TV Arnab Goswami has been arrested this morning by Maharastra Police. BJP leaders and supporters, including those in right-wing media, condemn it as attack on Press. I am at a loss to understand how it is an attack on Press!
He has been arrested under allegation of factoring suicidal death of an architect by not paying his dues that amounts to Rs.83 lakhs. Local Police had closed the case, to which his family has been protesting. According to the architect’s daughter, the police had not investigated into the case in right earnest. This moved Maharastra’s Home Minister to find out the truth through the Crime Branch of Maharastra Police. Thus, they have taken him to ascertain the details of payment he has, as per his claim, made to the architect. Where is the wrong? If anything, this is a very laudable humanitarian step taken by the Maharastra Home Minister, Mr.Anil Deshmukh.
If Arnab can show the proofs of his payment to the architect, he would be set free. His supporters should ask him to cooperate with the investigators and convince them that he has honestly paid the architect his dues in due time and before he committed suicide.
The alleged offense being criminal in nature, Arnab’s arrest cannot be viewed as attack on Press.