Notable national journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV Arnab Goswami was detained by Mumbai police on the morning hours of Wednesday. Republic TV had reported that he was detained in connection with the suicide case of a channel staff in 2018. 

The Mumbai police have unfolded the high-level drama weeks after the law enforcement agency accused Arnab Goswami of plotting the TRP ratings in favor of the channel. He has been under the spotlight ever since the allegations emerged against him. The visuals on Wednesday morning had shown that at least 20 policemen inside Goswami's residence while many police vehicles were seen stationed outside his residence. 

In 2018, Anvay Naik, who was the interior designer of the Republic TV, committed suicide. His family alleged that he had committed suicide due to non-payment of bills and they had filed a complaint against Arnab Goswami in Raigad police following which the case was filed against the journalist under the grounds of abetment of suicide. The reports say that in connection with the case, Mumbai and Raigad police had arrested Arnab Goswami on Wednesday. 

According to reports, Republic TV had alleged that its Editor-in-Chief was assaulted by the policemen and he was forcefully taken to Raigad, which is roughly around 70 kilometers from Mumbai. Arnab was first put in the car and he then pushed into a van and while detaining, Arnab told the cameras that he was assaulted and he said that the Mumbai police had physically assaulted his mother-in-law and father-in-law, son, and wife. 

The reports say that Arnab Goswami was taken to the crime branch office and the Republic TV slammed the move of treating the top Indian news channel like a criminal, pulled, threatened, and not allowed to drink water. Arnab's wife said that they were sleeping when the policemen came at around 7.55 am. The police were carrying cameras and when Arnad said he wants his lawyer to come, the policemen held him by his hair. 

Arnab's wife Samyabrata said that she was writing on a paper about what was going on. However, the policemen had torn the papers and told her not to write anything. However, the police alleged that Samyabrata tore the legal papers that they were presented with at their residence on Monday morning. According to PTI, the official said that a team of Alibaug police had picked up Goswami from his residence. 

Earlier in May this year, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had announced that a re-investigation has been ordered on a fresh complaint filed by Adnya Naik, the daughter of Republic TV's interior designer Anvay Naik. Adnya said that the Alibaug police had not probed the alleged non-payment of dues from Goswami's channel, which she claimed that it had driven her father and grandmother to commit suicide in May 2018. 

Arnab Goswami says that Mumbai Police physically assaulted his mother-in-law and father-in-law, son and wife. Mumbai police also assaulted Arnab Goswami as per video played out on Republic TV
(Screenshot of Republic TV) pic.twitter.com/kFaDoopAAh

— ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2020