Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, who has been in jail in connection with the 2018 suicide of an interior designer, has filed a bail application before the sessions court at Alibaug in Maharashtra's Raigad district on Monday morning. Live Law reports that the hearing is likely to happen on Monday itself.
"We have filed a bail plea this morning before the sessions court," Goswami's lawyer Gaurav Parkar told PTI. The sessions court in Alibaug is also hearing a revision application filed by the Alibaug police challenging a November 4 order of the magistrates court denying them custody of Goswami and two other accused in the case and remanding the three in judicial custody.
At 3 pm on Monday, the Bombay High Court had earlier dismissed Arnab’s interim bail application and had said that Arnab can seek regular bail from a lower court. The High Court, while refusing to grant interim bail, had added that the observations it had made in this case would not affect the trial in the sessions court and that the lower court will be hearing his plea independently.
Goswami and two others were arrested by Alibaug police on November 4 in connection with the suicide of architect-interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother in 2018 over alleged non-payment of dues by companies of the accused.
After his arrest from his residence in Mumbai, Goswami was taken to Alibaug, where the Chief Judicial Magistrate refused to remand him in police custody. The magistrate's court remanded Goswami and the two others in judicial custody till November 18.
Goswami was initially kept at a local school which has been designated as a COVID-19 centre for the Alibaug prison. On Sunday, he was shifted to the Taloja jail in Raigad district after allegedly being found using a mobile phone while in judicial custody.
On Saturday, the HC while reserving its order said pendency of the matter does not preclude the accused persons from seeking regular bail before the sessions court concerned. The HC had said if such a plea is filed, then the sessions court shall hear and decide the same in four days.
With PTI inputs