The Supreme Court Friday granted protection against any coercive steps for three weeks to Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in connection with some FIRs lodged against him in various states for alleged defamatory statements made during the news shows on recent Palghar mob-lynching of three persons including two saints in Maharashtra. A bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah, in a hearing conducted through video conferencing, took note of the submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi and said that Goswami “shall be protected against any coercive steps” for the telecast of the alleged defamatory news programmes aired on the news channels. It also said that Goswami can later file anticipatory bail plea in connection with the FIRs after three weeks and he should cooperate with the investigating agency. The top court allowed Goswami to amend his plea for impleading the complainants against him as parties in the apex court and also permitted him to seek clubbing of FIRs lodged against him. The plea, seeking reliefs such as quashing of FIRs and protection from coercive measures, said that several FIRs have been registered against Goswami in different parts of the country.
