The chief magistrate of the Alibaug court on Wednesday evening told Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami to maintain decorum, “behave like an accused” and not interrupt the proceedings.
Goswami was produced before the Alibaug chief magistrate Sunaina Pingale in the evening on Wednesday and was eventually ordered, at around 11.30 pm, to stay in judicial custody for 14 days, that is, till November 18.
Advocate Vilas Naik, representing the kin of the deceased interior designer Anvay Naik, said, “Goswami attempted to climb the dais in front of the magistrate when she asked to stand beyond the plastic partition (put up for Covid prevention) in order to see his injury marks more clearly.” The magistrate warned him against climbing on to the dais.
Later, while his lawyer was presenting the case, Goswami once again waved his hand and raised his voice to show the injury marks to the magistrate. “The magistrate then warned Goswami and told him to maintain decorum,” said Naik. Even when the medical officer was being questioned by the magistrate, Goswami again interrupted the proceedings and said the doctor was lying.
The magistrate Pingale then warned him that she would be compelled to ask him to leave the courtroom and she would listen only to his lawyer. Thereafter, Goswami became silent.
Goswami’s wife Samyabrata was also hauled up by the magistrate for allegedly voice-recording the court proceedings. Also, the magistrate asked BJP MLA Rahul Narvekar, who was wearing a white kurta-pyjama, to leave the courtroom as he was disturbing the proceedings. The police then led him outside the courtroom.
While the order was being dictated, Goswani attempted to sip a soft drink in the courtroom, and a policeman had to tell him to go outside the courtroom.
In the afternoon, former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya had attempted to meet Goswami in Alibag but was dragged away as he came in the way of the police van. In their remand plea, police said they want to probe the work order and recover receipts of payments, debit notes between ARG Outlier (which operates Republic TV) and the deceased. ( TOI )
