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The Fake Patriotism Pulpit: How People Were Turned Into A Nation Of ‘Elated’ Suckers Before The Polls.

CineBuster Online | Updated — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 11:49:18 +0000

“Raj Thackeray” The Nation Only Six Sense Leader To Point Out On Pulwama Terror Attacks.

Mumbai: How we were turned into a nation of elated suckers

Chats suggest that Pulwama massacre made Mr. Righteous Indignation of TV whoop ‘this attack we have won like crazy’, and the government smelt a chance to make Indians feel ‘elated’ before the polls.

They rain fire and brimstone from the patriotism pulpit, shaking and choking in righteous indignation at the violators of the Nation and chewing them up. They are almost always in suits, the enfants terribles of television.

They rain fire and brimstone from the patriotism pulpit, trembling and tearing up at the very thought of a wayward glance being cast on Bharat Mata. They are almost always in whites, the perpetual campaigners on one election trail or the other.

Both stand exposed — by an insider who has not yet disowned a series of WhatsApp chats attributed to him.The picture that emerges from the court of the Emperor Without Clothes is not pretty: it shows a blood-sucking, wheeling-dealing chummy club that treats the massacre of soldiers on tour of duty with utter disdain.

Worse, the deaths are sought to be exploited for scoring professional, if not commercial, bragging points.

“This attack we have won like crazy,” a piece of conversation attributed to Goswami boasts. The day and time suggest the reference is to the Pulwama massacre in which 40 CRPF jawans were blown up.

The bloodcurdling and celebratory victory whoop stands in sharp contrast to the “stricken” and outraged image that studios populated by Goswami, his brand of nationalists and their ideological masters portray for the benefit of their audience who, presumably, break into matching palpitations, wringing hands and shedding tears for the wounded Nation.

The studio mercenaries make mincemeat of anyone seeking transparency and accountability when terrorist strikes so close to electoral exercises take place.

Narendra Modi (PTI)

Unwittingly, the irrepressible celebration attributed to Goswami less than three hours after the Pulwama massacre matches the cavalier attitude of the government on the day of the attack. In the immediate aftermath of the blast, Prime Minister Modi, perhaps uninformed, was shooting a jungle adventure in the Corbett Reserve forests. Unspeakable theatre was taking shape both on the political as well as the propaganda arena so soon after so terrible a tragedy.Whether or not anything substantial comes from the leak of the chats, the fig leaf of the super-patriots has been yanked off.On matters of state, all the players can be expected to brazen it out as they have been doing on other issues — this time aided by the silence of most political parties because of the holy cow called national security.But the chats, which have not been denied more than 24 hours after they hit the public domain, raise unavoidable questions.The chats indicate that highly classified information, including military operations known to a limited number of people in the top echelons of the Narendra Modi government, got leaked.

There are at least two instances within a span of six months when Goswami had prior information of major decisions taken by the Modi government — the surgical strike in Balakot and the dilution of Article 370 to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and statehood.

When Goswami purportedly tells Dasgupta that “something major will be done this time” to Pakistan, it does not take long for the ex-CEO of BARC to figure out the implications.

“It is good for the big man in this season…. He will sweep polls then,” Dasgupta predicts without naming the heavyweight.

In less than three months, Modi would indeed sweep the polls and return to power with a brute majority. The Pulwama attack and the Balakot strike were used by the BJP to the hilt, changing the entire narrative of the elections just as it was heating up.

The chats attributed to Goswami suggest the Balakot strike was planned not for military reasons — either strategic or tactical — but for national entertainment.

“On Pakistan the government is confident of striking in a way that people will be elated,” one message attributed to Goswami says. The message adds: “Exact words used.”

The addition makes it clear the objective — national elation — was not an embellished description in an informal chat but exactly what the government was aiming to achieve.

A few months later, Goswami claims to “have set platinum standards in breaking and this story is ours” after Dasgupta sends him a news flash on August 2 that says: “Government of India to make Jammu separate state, Kashmir and Ladakh as union territories.”

It also says the announcement will be made within a week, curfew will be imposed two days ahead of the order, and Articles 370 and 35A will be automatically abrogated.

On August 5, Union home minister Amit Shah introduced the bill to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories. Articles 370 and 35A were declared null and void in the same bill, which was preceded by curfew in the state along with a huge troop build-up.

Although the leaked chats, annexed to the Mumbai police chargesheet in the TRP scam case, went viral, most politicians steered clear of them. Prominent among the few exceptions who spoke out was the veteran Congressman and Chhattisgarh minister T.S. Singh Deo.

“It’s a major security lapse if our military secrets and strategies on Balakot strike were leaked by someone in Central Govt to pvt players for their benefit. This calls for an investigation & prosecution of culprits. Leaking of classified military information amounts to treason. A so-called journalist knew about what was supposed to be the most classified information & was passing it on further. As outrageous this is, it exposes that these people aren’t concerned about national security and terror attacks are used as propaganda to wield more power,” Deo tweeted.

Former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha, who has parted ways with the BJP, said on Twitter: “I entirely agree with Prashant Bhushan that the Arnab Whatsapp chats reveal a serious lapse in national security. The matter must be investigated by an impartial authority. The govt also appears to be guilty in this matter.” Bhushan, a senior lawyer, had tweeted the leaked chats.

For film director Hansal Mehta, what struck most was that “he gloated over dead soldiers. And calls himself a nationalist”.

The News agency tried to contact both Goswami and the principal director-general, media and communications, Press Information Bureau, of the government for comment but was unsuccessful. Their comments will be published when they respond.

February 14, 2019, 3.15pm: 40 CRPF jawans are killed in the Pulwama terror explosion, a little more than two months before the general election in India.

February 14, 2019, 4.19pm: Purported WhatsApp message from Republic TV managing director Arnab Goswami to Partho Dasgupta, ex-CEO of TV ratings agency BARC, says: “Sir 20 min ahead on the biggest terrorist attack of the year in Kashmir…. only only channel with a ground presence.”

February 14, 2019, 5.43pm: Purported message from Goswami says: “This attack we have won like crazy.”

February 23, 2019, 10.31pm: Purported message from Goswami to Dasgupta says: “On another note something big will happen.”

February 23, 2019, 10.36pm: Purported query by Dasgupta: “Dawood?”

February 23, 2019, 10.36pm: Purported reply from Goswami: “No sir Pakistan. Something major will be done this time.”

February 23, 2019, 10.40pm: Purported message from Goswami to Dasgupta: “Bigger than a normal strike. And also on the same time something major on Kashmir. On Pakistan the government is confident of striking in a way that people will be elated. Exact words used.”

February 26, 2019, 3.45am: Indian fighter aircraft cross the Line of Control and bomb a terror camp in Balakot. India says a large number of terrorists have been killed while Pakistan says only trees were damaged.

The post The Fake Patriotism Pulpit: How People Were Turned Into A Nation Of ‘Elated’ Suckers Before The Polls. first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

3 Days Before Balakot Strike, Arnab Goswami Said: “Bigger Than A Normal Strike. Something Major On Kashmir. Pakistan Is Confident Of Striking”. Exact Words Used.”

CineBuster Online | Updated — Sat, 16 Jan 2021 17:37:09 +0000

Mumbai: “Bigger Than A Normal Strike.” The transcript of the purported chat between Goswami and the former BARC chief is part of the Mumbai Police chargesheet in the TRP scam case.

That is what Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami told Partho Dasgupta, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Broadcast Audience Research Council , which measures television ratings, in a purported WhatsApp chat on February 23, 2019.

Three days later, on February 26, 2019, the Indian Air Force carried out a strike targeting a Jaish-e-Mohammad training camp in the Pakistani town of Balakot.

The attack was billed as India’s response to an attack on February 14, 2019, in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed after an explosive-laden car driven by a suicide bomber rammed into their bus.

The purported chat is mentioned in a transcript that is part of a 3,400-page supplementary chargesheet filed by the Mumbai Police in their investigation into the alleged Television Ratings Point scam, according to The Hindu.

The chats, alleged advocate Prashant Bhushan on Twitter, “show many conspiracies & unprecedented access to power in this” government.

These are a few snapshots of the damning leaked WhatsApp chats between BARC CEO & #ArnabGoswami. They show many conspiracies&unprecedented access to power in this govt; gross abuse of his media&his position as power broker. In any Rule of law country, he would be in jail for long pic.twitter.com/6aGOR6BRQJ

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) January 15, 2021

According to the transcript, on February 23, 2019, Goswami texted Dasgupta saying: “On another note something big will happen”.

After a few messages on other matters, Dasgupta asked, “Dawood?”, referring to the notorious gangster who is wanted in several cases.

The conversation continued:

Arnab Goswami: “No sir Pakistan. Something major will be done this time.”

Partho Dasgupta: “Good.”

Partho Dasgupta: “It’s good for big man in this season.”

Partho Dasgupta: “He will sweep polls then.”

Partho Dasgupta: “Strike? Or bigger”

Arnab Goswami: “Bigger than a normal strike. And also on the same time something major on Kashmir. On Pakistan the government is confident of striking in a way that people will be elated. Exact words used.”

Image showing transcript of the purported chat between Arnab Goswami and Partho Dasgupta.

The chats also reveal instances of Dasgupta asking Goswami to reach out to the government on his behalf. In one such exchange on April 4, 2019, the former ratings agency chief asks Goswami if he can stall the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s proposal to make BARC’s viewing data public. Dasgupta asks Goswami for some action from a certain “AS”. In reply, Goswami says he could do what Dasgupta asked for.

Image showing transcript of the purported chat between Arnab Goswami and Partho Dasgupta.

The chat also includes a conversation where Dasgupta asks Goswami to get him a job as “media advisor” in the Prime Minister’s Office, while at several instances the Republic TV journalist refers to his proximity to “PMO” and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, The Hindu reported.

TRP Scam

An operation to manipulate television ratings was uncovered in October when the Broadcast Audience Research Council filed a complaint through Hansa Research Group, one of BARC’s vendors, accusing some channels of rigging their ratings by bribing some households to watch their programmes.

On December 25, Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Milind Bharambe had said that a forensic audit report of the rating agency’s data had revealed that the numbers had been manipulated since at least 2016. Bharambe said that the manipulations resulted in Republic TV being depicted as the top-ranked channel.

Bharambe had also mentioned that the report mentioned e-mails and chats between officials of the rating agency that were “absolutely incriminating”.

Earlier this month, Mumbai Police informed the Bombay High Court that they have found more evidence against Goswami in relation to the case.

Thirteen people have been arrested in the case so far, including Republic TV Chief Executive Officer Vikas Khanchandani. He has since been released on bail.

Former BARC Chief Operation Officer Romil Ramgarhia remains in custody as does former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta. On Friday night, Dasgupta was admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai after his blood pressure and sugar levels dropped, the Exchange4media site reported.

Box Cinema and Marathi channel Fakt Marathi were the other channels named during the preliminary investigation.

The post 3 Days Before Balakot Strike, Arnab Goswami Said: “Bigger Than A Normal Strike. Something Major On Kashmir. Pakistan Is Confident Of Striking”. Exact Words Used.” first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Varavara Rao And Arnab Goswami, Unequal Citizens Before the Law Rights

CineBuster Online | Updated — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 14:34:56 +0000

Illustration: The Article 14 of the Indian constitution that “We, The People Of India” conferred upon ourselves proclaims that “the state shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.

”But it seems this proviso is only a lofty goal enshrined in the statute, to be adhered to selectively. A study in the contrasting treatment meted out to Republic TV owner-editor Arnab Goswami and the thousands of those accused and imprisoned in this country presents a bleak picture.

The cases of Goswami and Varavara Rao reveal some glaring differences. Varavara Rao was also a journalist who ran a literary monthly for about 25 years and was a newspaper columnist in addition to being a lecturer, writer and revolutionary poet.

Rao was a public speaker for the last fifty years, though his voice is no match for Goswami’s in decibel levels. Both of them were arrested and imprisoned, of course, for varying times. Here emerge the differences in the manner of arrest, as well as the response their arrests elicited from the political class, administration and judiciary.

Goswami’s arrest on November 4 has already been highly publicised with a live video of the same available in the public domain. Politicians including Union cabinet ministers vociferously spoke out in support of him and denounced the arrest. Media reports alleged that the police or prison authorities had allowed Goswami to use a cell phone while in custody. Within a week of his arrest, petitions for his bail were heard by the sessions court, the high court and the Supreme Court on a priority basis. Even as the lower courts dismissed his pleas, the apex court granted him interim bail and released him.

In comparison, the manner in which Varavara Rao was arrested on August 28 was horrendous. After about 20 police officials from Pune, assisted by the Telangana police, barged into his house at around six in the morning, the first thing they did was seize cell phones from Rao and his wife and cut their landline connections. The elderly couple was then kept incommunicado for the next eight hours. Not only the corridor of his flat, but the entrance of the 180-flat apartment complex was barricaded.

The family’s helpers and neighbours were also prevented from approaching their house whilst other flat owners were subjected to checks, questioning and threats. Inside Rao’s house, his bookshelves were ransacked and documents and papers thrown out.

The 78-year-old poet and his 70-year-old wife were harassed until 2.30 pm, after which Rao was taken away. During these eight hours, he was not allowed to make a call to his lawyer or doctor.The Pune police also brought two additional warrants to search his daughters’ houses, in case Rao was not available at his home.

However, knowing very well that he was at his home by 6 am, the police continued to raid his daughters’ houses till around 8 am. Spending about six hours in each of the houses, they seized the cell phones of both his daughters and sons-in-law and went as far as to also snatch Kindles, game consoles and electronic gadgets belonging to his grandchildren.

After 77 days of house arrest upon the direction of the Supreme Court, the Pune police again came to arrest him on the evening of November 17. This time around, the arrest was almost a public affair as Rao’s house was packed with people by then. When the police were asked to display an arrest warrant, an official from Pune curtly replied by saying that they didn’t need to show any warrant.

When we insisted on a warrant, a local police official threatened to use force on us – the same official is now in jail, after having being caught red-handed taking a bribe and found to have accumulated disproportionate properties.

In stark contrast, Goswami’s highly publicised arrest was telecast live. It was reported that he was asked to cooperate several times by policemen while he said that he was being physically assaulted and asked for an apology. Goswami also identified an “encounter specialist” and asked to allow him to call his lawyer and doctor.

After some time he was physically lifted and dragged out of his house. This procedure of arrest was unquestionably neither legal nor civil and deserves to be condemned. But when examined alongside the arrest of many others and routine police behaviour, what happened to Goswami looks rather common.

The moot point here is that Goswami has himself supported, abetted, encouraged and cheered this kind of illegal and uncivil behaviour by the police.

Varavara Rao’s arrest was also not condemned by any politician, except by those from the Left parties, while the list of denouncers of Goswami’s arrest is long, including the Union home minister.

The media also reported that Goswami was able to use a mobile phone while in judicial custody and was shifted to Taloja Jail as a consequence.

Let alone a mobile phone, Varavara Rao and his co-accused had to make several appeals to the jail authorities and courts to be permitted access to ordinary things like a blanket, a pair of socks, a straw and even a sipper.

The police or jail administrations are not even allowing newspapers, magazines and books to reach Varavara Rao and the other Bhima-Koregaon co-accused.

Exactly a day prior to Goswami’s use of a mobile phone, Taloja jail refused to give Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s The Scandal of the Century, sent as a birthday gift, to Rao.

While Goswami could move the sessions court, the high court and the Supreme Court in quick succession within a week to secure his release, Varavara Rao has languished in jail in a fabricated case for the past two years, without trial and without bail.

At least four bail petitions, in the sessions court and high court, both on merit and on health grounds (including testing positive for COVID-19) took almost 20 months to be ultimately rejected.

When the Supreme Court was approached as the fifth bail petition was being procrastinated in the high court, the apex court simply asked Rao to go back to the lower court. Even after the high court was moved again with this direction from the Supreme Court, the delaying tactics continue.

No doubt an objection will be raised by some that the charges against Goswamai and Varavara Rao are different. The former is accused of abetment to suicide while the latter has been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

This distinction is irrelevant as both are entitled to the presumption of innocence until found guilty. Regrettably, the bogey of ‘terrorism’ did not escape even the discriminating intellect of a judge like D.Y. Chandrachud. ‘Goswami is not a terrorist’, he is reported to have said. But are all those charged with the insupportable cases under UAPA ‘terrorists’? Is the presumption of innocence only for Goswami and his ilk?

The fact is that the Bhima Koregaon accused are chiefly those who had nothing to do with the incident and even less to do with any violence thereafter. Yet no court hears their bail, no institution is concerned with their liberty.

On November 18, the Bombay high court finally directed authorities to shift Rao from Taloja jail to Nanavati Hospital for 15 days, noting that it would further examine the case “after two weeks”.

There is another difference: while the high-decibel prisoner is a 47-year old, in reasonably good health, the unequal citizen is an ailing 80-year old, suffering from post-COVID-19 ailments.

In the meantime, electrolyte imbalance with low level of sodium and potassium and criminal negligence in the prison has led to a loss of memory, incoherence and near-dementia in Rao.

While keeping a urinary catheter for over two weeks can lead to dangerous and life-threatening infections, a catheter on Varavara Rao’s body – fixed on August 28, when he was discharged from Nanavati Hospital and sent back to jail – has not been removed even after ten weeks later.

Varavara Rao is only a symbol of hundreds, if not thousands of other prisoners languishing under a similar predicament. For one Arnab Goswami, there are hundreds of Varavara Raos, for whom equality before the law is a myth.

N Venugopal Rao is the editor of the Telugu journal Veekshanam, and the nephew of Varavara Rao.

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The Bombay High Court Rejects Arnab Goswami And 2 Others Bail Plea

CineBuster Online | Updated — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 12:24:51 +0000

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Monday rejected Arnab Goswami’s plea for interim bail in an alleged abetment to suicide case.

Goswami and two others — Feroze Shaikh and Neetish Sarda — 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.

“No case is made out for release of the petitioner under extraordinary jurisdiction,” said the HC bench of Justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik.

The court said that Goswami can apply for regular bail in the sessions court which will have to decide on it within four days. Earlier today, Goswami filed for regular bail before the Alibaug sessions court.

“In our opinion, the petitioner (Arnab) has an alternate and efficacious remedy under section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to apply for regular bail. At the time of concluding the hearing of applications, we had made it clear that if the petitioner, if so advised, applies for regular bail under section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before the concerned court, then we have directed the court to decide the said application within four days of filing of the same,” the HC said.

The HC in its 56-page order said, “In our opinion, the petitioner (Arnab) has an alternate and efficacious remedy under section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to apply for regular bail. At the time of concluding the hearing of Applications, we had made it clear that if the petitioner, if so advised, to apply for regular bail undersection 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before the concerned Court,then, in that case, we have directed the concerned Court to decide the said application within four days from filing of the same.”

Also HC in its order said: Merely because the Magistrate has accepted the “A” summary submitted by the Investigating Officer, that would not mean and preclude the concerned Investigating Officer to invoke the provisions of section 173(8) of Code of Criminal Procedure to commence further investigation after givingintimation to the jurisdictional Magistrate.

“The victim’s rights are equally important like the rights of the accused. We cannot accept the contention of the petitioner that there cannot be further investigation when the order passed by the Magistrate accepting the “A” summary was without notice and without giving an opportunity to the informant for filing the protest petition,” observed the HC.

The HC also rejected the plea for interim bail filed by Neetish Sarda as well as the plea for interim release filed by Firoze Shaikh. It said they can file for bail in the lower court which can take a decision on merit without being influenced by the high court’s observations
Alibaug chief judicial magistrate Sunayna Pingale had in a late night order on November 4 rejected the police custody plea of Goswami and remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days.

The HC noted that Goswami’s petition and application for interim protection proceeds on the premise that he is illegally detained. However, when Goswami filed for interim release, he “was in judicial custody as it is averred by the petitioner himself in the application.”

“The victim’s rights are equally important like the rights of the accused. We cannot accept the contention of the petitioner that there cannot be further investigation when the order passed by the magistrate accepting the ‘A’ summary was without notice and without giving an opportunity to the informant for filing the protest petition,” the bench said.

Last week, the police challenged the rejection in a revision application before the Alibaug sessions court which is to hear the matter. The police had said that Goswami’s custody is essential to probe the matter further.

The HC bench, after a special day-long special hearing via video-conferencing, had reserved its order on the pleas filed by the accused.

On Saturday, Amit Desai senior counsel and public prosecutor Deepak Thakre for the Maharashtra government in Goswami’s case opposed his plea for interim release.

The HC had on Saturday, however, granted them liberty to file for bail before sessions pending the pronouncement. The HC had said on Saturday that in such a case, the trial court must decide on the pleas within four days after hearing all sides. Similarly, the HC said even Sarda, 26, was not precluded from seeking bail before the sessions court.

Goswami, 46, had filed a habeas corpus petition alleging that his arrest was “illegal” and sought orders to quash the case and proceedings and to stay further probe.

He also invoked the wide plenary powers of the HC under Article 226 of the Constitution to seek justice when fundamental rights are flouted. His counsels Harish Salve and Aabad Ponda said his right to life and free speech were violated by the “illegal arrest” and said the authorities were acting with “malice”. Salve, cited SC judgments to stress that the HC had all the powers and could direct Goswami’s release even if a revision plea was pending before the sessions court.

Special counsel for the Maharashtra government Desai had said the “question of arrest cannot be dealt with at this stage.”. Desai said Goswami’s habeas corpus plea was no maintainable since he is now in judicial custody through a “lawful order” passed by the Alibaug CJM after seeing the police “case diary” which details the probe that has been on, with witness statements recorded.

Desai had cited various apex court judgments to submit that the “the HC cannot intervene under its extraordinary powers under Article 226 and give a go-by to the established procedures and provisions of the criminal law which allows for a remedy to file for bail before the trial court.”

The HC also observed that it would not want to “undermine the authority of the sessions court which is empowered to hear regular bail plea.”

The HC cannot change the entire hierarchy under CrPC, “especially when for reasons unknown he withdrew the bail plea filed before the magistrate.” He said if the HC grants interim bail, it would “open floodgates to an already overburdened court” and that everyone after arrest will seek quashing and release on grounds of fundamental rights.

“He said investigation cannot be brought to a standstill … probe is on as state felt the need for further probe,” Desai had submitted, adding, “Power of state to direct investigation is distinct from power of court.”

Desai had also stressed that an ‘A’ summary (true, but undetected) closure has to be treated differently than B summary (false case) or C summary (neither true nor false). He pointed out that there is challenge to the fact that it was categorized an ‘A’ summary which only means that investigation is incomplete or inconclusive and hence arguments of Goswami’s counsels that there is a need for a “court nod for further probe is wrong”.

Besides, said Desai, the HC has to “consider fundamental rights of a victim too for a fair probe, rights of an accused and victim under right to equality and right to life are equal.”

Senior counsel Shirish Gupte for Adnya Naik also said, “Matter was high-handly handled by the police earlier and to release him now under extraordinary powers… would be injustice to the victims.” He had added, “it was shocking that neither the police nor even the magistrate had thought it fit to inform the victim of the closure report being filed when since 1985 the law has been well settled by the Supreme Court that there are three parties to a criminal proceedings, the state, accused and victim.”

Salve, in his submission, said that irrespective of the right of an accused to seek bail under criminal procedure code, his fundamental right to life and liberty stays intact and the SC has held that the HC has powers to grant interim bail so that the right to life “which is non negotiable” does not get defeated “even for a day.”

The quashing petition filed by Goswami as well as the petition for transfer of probe and challenge to closure of her father’s suicide abetment case, by Adnya Naik, will next be heard on December 10, before the HC.

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Media Has Been Managed So Well By Modi Government That For Ministers To Dare Speak Of “Press Freedom” Is Offensive

CineBuster Online | Updated — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 15:18:18 +0000

Mumbai: On the day they arrested Arnab Goswami last week every senior minister in Narendra Modi’s Cabinet came out openly in his support. The list of ministerial supporters is long so here is an abbreviated version. Among those who tweeted for Arnab were the ministers of Home, Finance, External Affairs, Law, and Information & Broadcasting. They spoke of what happened to this celebrity TV journalist as an assault on ‘freedom of the press’.

It was the hypocrisy of this that astounded me. They know better than anyone else that Modi has done more to curb press freedom than any prime minister since Indira Gandhi. Foreign correspondents who have written critical pieces on him have found restrictions imposed on their visas. Within India editors have been summarily dismissed for having the wrong attitude. Earlier this year I personally lost a column in a big Hindi newspaper that had been around for more than two decades. Discreet inquiries revealed that there had been pressure from the top.

So, the one thing that Arnab’s arrest is not is an attack on press freedom. What it can be called is an attack by the Maharashtra government on a journalist who has been so openly a spokesman of the BJP and the Modi government that it is hard to describe him as a journalist. There has not been an issue or event in this past year in which Arnab has not sounded like a member of the Modi government. When the protests started against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) he held a series of ‘debates’ that supported the new law and charged the protesters with being ‘anti-national’. When the first lockdown was imposed so suddenly that millions of migrant workers were forced to walk hundreds of kilometres to their villages, Arnab’s ‘debates’ sought to prove that journalists chronicling this exodus of hungry, desperate people were liars.

When during this same lockdown two sadhus were killed in Palghar, Republic TV tried its best to make it sound like a hate crime by Muslims. Then came the campaign to put Rhea Chakraborty in jail so that Sushant Singh Rajput’s name could be used by the BJP to garner votes in the Bihar election. Arnab led the lynch mob. She was first charged in Arnab’s court with murder and money laundering. Other famous anchors who emulate Arnab’s style of lynch mob journalism turned their own shows into courts in which she was judged guilty till proven innocent. When the charges of murder, abetment to suicide and robbing Sushant’s bank account did not stick, the lynch mob demanded that she be arrested for ‘supplying’ drugs to Sushant Singh. She was arrested and denied bail on charges too flimsy to merit incarceration.

There are many famous TV anchors who have been ‘managed’ by the Modi government but Arnab is the favourite because he has willingly allowed his Republic channel to be used as a weapon against the Maharashtra government. The BJP has made it clear that it wants to take back a state that they believe was stolen from them. In this cause the services of Arnab have been invaluable. He has attacked political leaders and the Mumbai police relentlessly to create the impression that there is a total breakdown of law and order in the state.

His style is to openly throw a challenge to the Chief Minister by saying that he is not afraid of him or of his police chief. In recent weeks it was the police chief, Param Bir Singh, who has been named and targeted in Arnab’s primetime show. The message has been ‘come and get me’. Well, they came and got him.

The question that arises is whether it is right for any journalist to play the role of attack dog for a political party or a government? Actually, the question should not need to be asked. The media’s relationship with government has to be adversarial because in a democracy the media’s role is that of a watchdog. Since Modi became Prime Minister, though, it has been very hard for journalists to play this role because they are immediately punished.

For a while it seemed as if Modi’s reason for never having given a press conference was that he did not know how to deal with the media. He believes that the media was unfair to him after the 2002 riots in Gujarat and so he prefers to talk only to friendly journalists (and Akshay Kumar) who ask him friendly questions. The main aim of his media policy, though, is to dragoon or lure pliable TV channels into his service. After he won his second term it can be said that the TV channels with the highest viewership have become aggressive and belligerent vehicles of government propaganda. And, Hindi newspapers with the largest readership usually write only in praise of the Supreme Leader.

This is why we have seen almost no criticism of that disastrous first lockdown in which millions of our poorest citizens had to walk to their villages because all means of transport were halted and their jobs were gone. This is why we see so little criticism of policies that caused an economic slowdown long before Covid. This is why there is so little investigation of the Chinese incursions into Ladakh. The media has been managed so well by the Modi government that for ministers to dare speak of ‘press freedom’ is offensive.

The post Media Has Been Managed So Well By Modi Government That For Ministers To Dare Speak Of “Press Freedom” Is Offensive first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Bombay High Court Observes That: “If We Grant Remedy, Then Everyone Will Come To The High Court”, The Court Refused To Grant Interim Bail In Arnab Goswami Pleas

CineBuster Online | Updated — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 14:34:49 +0000

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court today reserved its order in the habeas corpus and bail pleas filed by Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in connection with the abetment to suicide case he is currently in judicial custody for.

The Bench of Justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik heard the matter this on a Saturday after obtaining the consent of the parties yesterday.

The Court refused to grant Goswami interim bail, noting that its order should not be construed as an impediment to the journalist to approach the Sessions Court for bail under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). If such lower court is approached for bail, it shall decide the matter within four days, the High Court further held.

Senior Advocate Amit Desai appeared for the State. Inter alia, he argued against the High Court directly entertaining the plea to release Goswami, asserting that the hierarchy of courts should not be disrupted unless there are extraordinary circumstances. He asserted,

“This is not a fit case for grant of interim relief. They have remedy before the trial court. They may get bail when if the trial court deems it fit. But to exercise this jurisdiction will lead to flood gate of applications.”

Desai added that he does not want to comment on the allegations of malice made by Goswami, since the matter is sub juice. He further submitted that the proper procedure has been followed to restart the investigation.

The Court today also heard submissions made for the other two persons accused in the case. Advocate Vijay Aggarwal argued for the release of Nitesh Sarda, and Advocate Nikhil Mengde made allied submissions for Feroze Shaik.

During Aggarwal’s arguments, the Court asked out loud: “Don’t you think that with (other) remedies available, if we grant remedy, then everyone will come to the High Court? It will send wrong signal that though Section 439 is there, then why come under writ? It will also undermine the authority of lower courts.”

Advocate Subodh Desai appeared for Adnya Naik, Anvay Naik’s daughter, who seeks re-investigation into the 2018 case and action against the police officers “who did a miserable job of investigation” in the first instance.

Senior Advocate Shirish Gupte, appearing for the informant Akshata Naik, questioned the urgency behind giving Goswami three days of hearing. He further contended that there will be harm to the victim’s family if the journalist is released.

Senior Advocate Harish Salve then made rejoinder submissions on behalf of Goswami. Urging the Court to grant relief to his client, Salve argued that the powers of a High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution are at par with the powers of the Supreme Court under Article 32.

When Salve pressed for interim bail, the Court said that it could not pass an order immediately, and that it needed to consider the compilations and submissions made by the parties.

It thus reserved its orders in the matter and granted the parties four weeks’ time to file replies.

The case concerning the suicides of Anvay Naik and his mother was closed in 2019 after the police submitted an “A summary” report which indicated that there was insufficient evidence to proceed further against the accused.

During arguments made on behalf of Goswami yesterday, it was alleged that the State has been acting maliciously against Goswami, as could be gauged from the multiple proceedings recently initiated against him.

Reference was also made to the breach of privilege notice issued against Goswami by the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and the allegations being made against Republic TV in the TRP scam by the Mumbai Police. Senior Advocates Harish Salve and Aabad Ponda had appeared for Goswami.

Goswami was arrested on Wednesday morning in connection with a 2018 abetment to suicide case of interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik. Naik had named Goswami and two others in his suicide note alleging that they had failed to pay up money owed for the work done by Naik’s company. The case was reopened by the state government after two years.

Following his arrest on November 4, that same night, Goswami had been remanded to fourteen days of judicial custody by the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Alibaug.

In a bail application filed along with his habeas corpus plea, Goswami had alleged that he had suffered serious injuries during his arrest and illegal detention.

The post Bombay High Court Observes That: “If We Grant Remedy, Then Everyone Will Come To The High Court”, The Court Refused To Grant Interim Bail In Arnab Goswami Pleas first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Maharashtra Police Arrested Republic TV Editor-In-Chief Arnab Goswami And 2 Others In Abetment Suicide Case Of 2018

CineBuster Online | Updated — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 13:41:46 +0000

Mumbai: The Raigad police early Wednesday arrested Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and two others on charges of abetment to suicide of a 53-year-old interior designer and his mother in 2018.

https://www.cinebuster.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/WhatsApp-Video-2020-11-04-at-20.28.09.mp4

Two other who were arrested have been identified as Feroz Shaikh and Nitesh Sarda. Goswami was arrested from Worli, Feroz Shaikh from Kandivali and Nitesh Sarda from Jogeshwari.

Arnab was arrested in a joint operation by the Raigad police and the Mumbai Police. A team consisting of API Sachin Waze picked up Arnab from his residence.

“Alibaug police arrested Goswami under sections 306 (abetment of suicide), and 34 (acts done by persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. This (arrest) pertains to the 2018 case of a man and his mother committing suicide. We have evidence (against Goswami),” a police official said.

An FIR was registered against Arnab Goswami for allegedly assaulting a lady police officer when police team reached his residence in Mumbai this morning.

The case pertains to suicide by Anvay Naik, the managing director of architect firm Concord Design Private Limited whom the channel reportedly owed Rs 83 lakh for building the channel’s studio. Two other companies IcastX/Skimedia, and Smartworks also failed to clear its dues. The three companies collectively owed Rs 5.40 crore, the police said.

While defending the police action against Goswami, Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said that no one was above the law.

”Arnab took around one hour to open the door”
High drama followed the arrest Arnab Goswami when the Alibaug police along with a Mumbai police team went to arrest him at his Worli house.

The Alibaug police had sought the assistance of the Mumbai Police fearing the news anchor may create obstacles.

Mumbai crime branch team led by assistant inspector Sachin Waze, along with Special Operation Squad of the city police and police team headed by Alibaug SP Ashok Dudhe, reached Arnab’s house at 6am. Sources said that the entire operation was kept secret and even the local NM Joshi Marg police did not know what was going until the team reached the 17th floor of the building where Goswami lives.

Arnab was provided with Y-Plus category security by the Centre after he was attacked a few months ago.

According to police, Goswami and his wife took almost an hour to open the door.

“Arnab and his wife Samyabrata refused to open the door for nearly an hour despite us telling them that we have come to arrest him in the Alibaug case. We had deputed a policeman to video record the entire sequence of event to avoid any allegations,” said a senior police officer.

When Arnab opened the door, his wife started video recording and alleged that the police assaulted him. Police said that there is no need for them to have an arrest warrant in the IPC 306 abetment to suicide case.

When police handed over them the notice for intimation of arrest, his wife tore the papers, police said. Police team then forced Arnab in the police van and made a station diary entry at the NM Joshi Marg police station before handing him over to the Alibaug police.

Union home minister Amit Shah called Arnab’s arrest a “blatant misuse of state power” and information and broadcasting .inister Prakash Javadekar described it as “an attack on press freedom”.

Republic was perceived to be supporting right-wing political philosophy. One of its initial funders was Rajeev Chandrashekhar. He is currently a member of the Bhartiya Janata Party.

Anvay Naik Suicide Case:

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Naik and his mother were found dead at their farmhouse in Kavir Village in Alibaug. Naik was found hanging from the ceiling on the first floor and his mother’s body was found on the ground floor on the bed.

The police had found a suicide note in English which purportedly stated said Anvay and his mother decided to take the extreme step since payments due to them were not being cleared by owners of the three companies.

Naik’s wife Akshata had lodged a complaint that Goswami of ARG Outlier had not paid Rs 83 lakh for the Bombay Dyeing Studio Project.

Two other persons namely Feroz Shaikh of Skimedia and Nitesh Sarda owner of Smart Work not paid Rs 4 crores and Rs 55 lakh he had carried out respectively. Akshata Naik has lodged a complaint of abetment to suicide against Arnab. Feroz and Sarda were also arrested on Wednesday.

Based on the suicide note left behind by Naik, police registered an abetment to suicide case against Goswami, Shaikh and Sarda.

Investigations from the post-mortem suggested that Anvay had committed suicide and his mother Kumud had been strangulated. Following that, the police also registered a case of murder.

The police suspect Anvay may have killed his mother and then committed suicide.
A year after investigations, the local police in Alibaug had closed the case last year stating that enough evidence was not found against Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV news channel, and two others to chargesheet them in the case.

In May 2020, the home minister Anil Deshmukh had stated that the state CID will re-investigate the case. Deshmukh had stated that he had asked the CID to reopen the investigations on the request of Naik’s daughter.

Anvay was managing director of Concorde Designs, a Mumbai-based architectural and interior designing firm, his mother was on the firm’s board of directors.

Republic then had issued statement that it was a fake case as they had cleared all the dues of Concorde Design.

During the course of investigations Raigad police also found that Naik who had heavy debts on him, had filed NC (non-cognizable case) against a contractor in Mumbai after the latter had threatened him to repay the money he had taken.

The post Maharashtra Police Arrested Republic TV Editor-In-Chief Arnab Goswami And 2 Others In Abetment Suicide Case Of 2018 first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Kunal Thakkur says, ‘I would love to see Kangana Ranaut and Arnab Goswami in the Bigg Boss house’

CineBuster Online | Updated — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 11:37:29 +0000

The current season of Bigg Boss is underway and this season is different because not only do we get to see 14 amazing players but also three ex-contestants who we loved watching earlier. This year, there are ex-contestants Siddharth Shukla, Hina Khan and Gauahar Khan also staying in the house. Actor Kunal Thakur says that this a brilliant idea. “I think it was a great idea and it’s a treat for the audience to see them again. The tasks also involve the seniors and this is great. There is more interaction and entertainment between them this way. The contestants are talking time to open up. They are still planning and exploring the way they can play the game. After watching so many seasons, everyone wants to play the game carefully and that’s what is taking time,” says Kunal.

This year the contestants are only from showbiz. Earlier it used to be a mix of different fields, which was also a great idea says Kunal. “I feel a mix is always entertaining as it covers different topics then but at the end of the day, the film and TV industry is what gets the most viewers,” he says.

Ask him who he would like to see in the house, and he says, “I would love to see Kangana Ranaut and Arnab Goswami in the Bigg Boss house. I feel they both are very entertaining and would be great to see how they handle the politics and pressure inside the house.” Kunal Thakkur is best remembered for TV show Bandini and Tennis Premier league (TPL) along with actor Mrunal Jain and would soon be seen in a big upcoming project.

The post Kunal Thakkur says, ‘I would love to see Kangana Ranaut and Arnab Goswami in the Bigg Boss house’ first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

“Quarantine Arnab Goswami” Trends After Harish Salve Told SC That The Cop, Who Interrogated ‘Arnab’, Tests Positive For COVID-19

CineBuster Online | Updated — Wed, 13 May 2020 09:28:44 +0000

Mumbai: “Quarantine Arnab Goswami”: Hashtag #QuarantineArnab has trended on Twitter after Republic TV founder’s lawyer Harish Salve recently informed the Supreme Court that the cop, who had interrogated his client, has tested positive for COVID-19. This came just days after FIR actress Kavita Kaushik and Saif Ali Khan’s co-star Kubbra Sait targeted Goswami for his recent shenanigans.

Arguing for Arnab Goswami in the Supreme Court on Monday, Salve had made a sensational claim that one of the cops, who grilled Goswami for more than 12 hours, had now tested positive for coronavirus.

Salve had said, “…Two officers who interrogated him were asymptomatic and one has been tested #COVID19 positive.”

Goswami had approached the top court seeking quashing of another FIR filed against him by the Mumbai Police for spreading religious enmity in the country by his TV broadcast during the coverage of the gathering of migrant workers in Bandra. Goswami had mischievously chosen to focus his attention on the existence of a mosque in the vicinity even though the Muslims’ place of worship had nothing to do with the gathering o migrant workers.

Soon after Salve made a sensational claim about a cop from the Mumbai Police testing positive for COVID-19, Congress supporters took to Twitter demanding that Arnab Goswami must be quarantined as part of the established COVID-19 procedures. Soon hashtag #QuarantineArnab became a top Twitter trend.

This is a shot of Arnab holding a debate yesterday

How can a primary contact of a COVID +ve person be allowed in studios?

Arnab along with entire Republic Mumbai team should be quarantined at a govt hospital for 14 days like any other citizen.

RT & ask to #QuarantineArnab https://t.co/DRSO4HWTJV pic.twitter.com/Om5JgKtmrq

— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) May 11, 2020

If Arnab faced a Corona positive cop, why isn’t he self quarantined? Why is he putting so many lives on danger in his studio? How os he conducting debates and screaming n throwing his droplets everywhere in studio. #QuarantineArnab

— Mehek (@MehekF) May 12, 2020

Mumbai Police should Quarantine this Super Communal
virus Spreader
Republic TV office should sealed and sanitized asap #QuarantineArnab pic.twitter.com/Q715Be6wUW

— Md Jakir Hussain (@MdJakir94373592) May 12, 2020

Arnab along with entire Republic Mumbai team should be quarantined at a govt hospital for 14 days like any other citizen.
Just imagine kitni shanti rahegi #QuarantineArnab pic.twitter.com/5LGGZu6AhF

— Zakki Mirza | ज़क्की मिरज़ा | زكي ميرزا (@ZAKKI_MIRZA) May 12, 2020

Yes Arnab , India should #StayStrong.

For that You need Quarantine Permanently !! #QuarantineArnab pic.twitter.com/gwjUlXacS7

— Fardeeniyc (@ShaikhFARDEEN10) May 12, 2020

#ArnabGoswami spent hours with the policeman who has now tested COVID19 (+ve) according to Arnab’s own lawyer Harish Salve.

So why exactly is he roaming around doing TV shows?
U can’t quarantine Coronavirus so quarantine this communal virus immediately!#QuarantineArnab pic.twitter.com/DMAZXjAeHM

— Raiyan Malik (ریان ملک) (@RaiyanMalik03) May 12, 2020

The post “Quarantine Arnab Goswami” Trends After Harish Salve Told SC That The Cop, Who Interrogated ‘Arnab’, Tests Positive For COVID-19 first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.

Pro-BJP Anchor Arnab Goswami Moves Supreme Court Again Fearing Arrest; Days After Kubbra Sait And Kavita Kaushik Slammed Him For His Shenanigans

CineBuster Online | Updated — Wed, 06 May 2020 14:09:25 +0000

Mumbai: Fearing arrest, Republic TV founder and controversial pro-BJP anchor Arnab Goswami has moved the Supreme Court once again seeking quashing of a fresh FIR lodged against him by the Mumbai Police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. This is days after FIR actress Kavita Kaushik, Mulk Director Anubhav Sinha and Saif Ali Khan’s co-star Kubbra Sait targeted Goswami for his recent antics.

According to news agency PTI, Goswami has sought a direction to restrain the authorities from continuing any probe initiated pursuant to the filing of the FIR on 2 May. This is the second time in recent days that Goswami has approached the country’s highest court seeking relief in multiple police cases.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had granted him three-week protection from arrest after he was accused of inciting religious violence through his TV while covering the tragic lynchings of two Hindu monks in Maharashtra’s Palghar.

He was later subjected to intense police grilling for over 12 hours at a police station in Mumbai.

The fresh plea filed by Goswami in the Supreme Court comes just days after the Maharashtra government moved the apex court alleging that Goswami, facing a probe in a criminal case for his alleged comments to communalise the Palghar lynching, accused the controversial anchor of ‘browbeating’ the police by ‘creating fear psychosis.’

A fresh police complaint has been filed against Goswami for hurting the religious sentiments of the Muslim community through one of his TV shows on Republic Bharat. The complainant, Irfan Abubakar Sheikh, from the Raza Education Welfare Society, told news agency PTI, “Arnab tried to target a particular community through his show which was aired on April 29 while the incident had taken place on April 14.”

Goswami has been booked under sections 153 (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) 153-A (Promoting enmity between two groups) 295-A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 500 (Punishment for defamation), 511 (Punishment for attempting to commit offences) 120-b (Planning) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code, the police official said.

Earlier, several celebrities including FIR actress Kavita Kaushik, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha and actress Kubbra Sait had slammed Goswami for his shenanigans in the recent days leading to his interrogation by the Mumbai Police.

The post Pro-BJP Anchor Arnab Goswami Moves Supreme Court Again Fearing Arrest; Days After Kubbra Sait And Kavita Kaushik Slammed Him For His Shenanigans first appeared on Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News, India News, Bollywood News, Business News, Politics News, Sports News, Entertainment News - CineBuster.