In a significant development, the Karnataka High Court, on Thursday, May 22, granted a stay on all FIRs filed against BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya and Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in connection with allegations made by the Indian National Congress (INC). The FIRs, which stemmed from claims that Congress had an office in Turkey and posts suggesting Rahul Gandhi and Pakistan were "speaking the same language", have been put on hold following serious legal contentions raised in court.
The matter took a dramatic turn when Senior Advocate Aruna Shyam, appearing for the accused, informed the court of alleged procedural misconduct by the investigating authorities. He revealed that while the original FIR was registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 352 (a bailable offence concerning assault or use of criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), the notice served to the accused cited IPC Section 353 (a non-bailable offence pertaining to assault on a public servant). Shyam alleged this was a deliberate act of tampering with legal documentation to invoke non-bailable provisions and unlawfully trigger arrest powers.
The High Court acknowledged these claims and stayed further proceedings, with directions for a more thorough examination of the procedural irregularities. The FIRs were filed after posts by Malviya and Goswami circulated on social media, claiming that the Istanbul Congress Centre in Turkey was an international office of the Indian National Congress.
The Congress party swiftly denied the claim, terming it "completely fake and malicious". In its police complaint, the party accused both Malviya and Goswami of running a coordinated disinformation campaign aimed at maligning the party, defaming the constitutional office of the Leader of the Opposition, provoking unrest, and manipulating public sentiment.
The Congress Legal Cell described the posts as a “heinous and criminally motivated attempt to undermine national security and democratic values". In a post on social media platform X, the party warned that any such attacks on its leadership would be met with a strong legal and political response. “We will not stay silent,” it said. “This is a direct attack on democracy, and we will fight it at every level.”
Republic issued a corrigendum saying that an "incorrect image was inadvertently used erroneously depicting a building as the Congress office in Turkey by a video editor on the Digital desk due to a technical error. The image had no connection to the content or context of the said video. This clip was not broadcast on Arnab Goswami's Debate show on 15th May 2025 or thereafter and was not taken on-air nor was the said erroneous image in any way related to the subject matter being discussed. The inadvertent error occurred after the live show ended and was carried on the digital platform. The moment it was brought to our attention, it was promptly rectified. We sincerely and unconditionally regret the error."
