Arnab Manoranjan Goswami Vs State of Maharashtra & Ors. (Supreme Court of India)
The case of Arnab Manoranjan Goswami Vs State of Maharashtra & Ors. (Criminal Appeal No. 742 of 2020), decided by the Supreme Court of India on November 27, 2020, primarily concerned the scope of High Courts’ power to grant interim bail under Article 226 of the Constitution and Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), particularly when an individual claims arbitrary deprivation of personal liberty.
Here’s a summary of the key aspects:
Background:
- Arnab Goswami, Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV, was arrested in connection with an FIR lodged in 2018 alleging abetment of suicide (Section 306 IPC) of an interior designer, Anvay Naik, and his mother. The FIR claimed that non-payment of dues by Goswami’s company and two other individuals led to Naik’s suicide.
- The case had previously been closed with an “A” summary report (indicating the offense was committed but no evidence to prosecute). However, the Maharashtra Home Department ordered a reinvestigation in May 2020, leading to Goswami’s arrest on November 4, 2020.
- Goswami approached the Bombay High Court under Article 226 and Section 482 CrPC, seeking to quash the FIR and for interim bail, arguing his arrest was politically motivated and that the FIR did not establish the ingredients of abetment of suicide.
- The High Court, however, declined to grant interim bail and scheduled the hearing for quashing the FIR for a later date, suggesting Goswami avail the regular bail remedy under Section 439 CrPC.
Supreme Court’s Ruling and Key Observations:
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