Looks like Arnab Goswami is a BJP worker and Republic TV its loudspeaker: Sanjay Raut

MUMBAI: Hitting out at the BJP,  Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that the saffron party’s ongoing protest against Republic TV's editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami’s arrest shows that the latter is their party worker and his channel is its mouthpiece.

“The way BJP people have supported Arnab, it seems that he is a BJP worker and his channel is the party’s loudspeaker,” Sanjay Raut was quoted as saying by ANI.

He also gave a piece of advice to the BJP and said, “The people of BJP are creating such a ruckus for Arnab, it would have been good if any of their leaders would have met the Naik family to see how much they have suffered.”

Raut also rejected BJP's allegations of "politics of revenge" and "muzzling of the press freedom" in the arrest of Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in a suicide abetment case. Raut said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of the Sena-NCP- Congress has never acted vindictively against anyone since it came to power last year.

The Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP also claimed that the state government or any political party had nothing to do with the arrest. 

Goswami was arrested in Mumbai by Raigad police on Wednesday morning for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 53- year-old interior designer in 2018. "Proper procedure of law is followed in Maharashtra. Police can take action against anyone if they have evidence. The state government hasn't acted out of revenge," Raut told reporters when asked about Goswami's arrest.

"There is no anarchy in Maharashtra and law of the land is followed," Raut said, adding that Maharashtra and Mumbai police are a professional force.

"It is not a black day for media. Journalists also should follow ethics. Media is not an investigating agency or court. This observation is of the highest court. We are all journalists. Whoever does anything wrong will be punished by the police," he said.

While slamming the BJP, another Shiv Sena leader and minister Anil Parab said Goswami had duped a "Marathi" entrepreneur forcing the latter to commit suicide two years ago. Meanwhile, Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik termed Goswami's arrest as "Part 2 of India's Most Wanted" and recalled the action against a TV crime show anchor who was charged with killing his wife.

BJP's state unit chief Chandrakant Patil condemned the arrest saying that it was meant to muzzle his voice for speaking against the Maharashtra government, the Congress and its leadership.

Talking to reporters in Nagpur, he said, "It is a murder of democracy and freedom of speech. Arnab Goswami speaks against you (government), Congress and party chief Sonia Gandhi. But on that basis, you cannot arrest him." "Reopening this (suicide abetment) case, which was already closed, means it is an attempt to stop the voice of Goswami. The BJP and the people of this country will not tolerate this," Patil added.

Goswami and the two others have been booked under section 306 (abetment of suicide) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC in connection with the suicide of architect-interior designer Anvay Naik and Naik's mother over alleged non-payment of dues by Republic TV.

Naik, in his purported suicide note, had mentioned the names of Goswami, Shaikh and Sarda, police said, adding the note was sent to handwriting experts in Pune and a report is awaited.

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