Karnataka High Court stays probe against Arnab Goswami in fake news case

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday granted an interim stay on all investigation against journalist and Republic News editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in a case registered against him by the Bengaluru police in March this year for allegedly airing a fake news report about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah..Goswami was booked by the police on a complaint made by Congress member under Section 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for the offence of having made statements “creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes.” The Court said that the said section could not be invoked in the present case even in its “remotest form" and the case was an example of reckless registration of crime by the complainant.“The Court wants to know, what is the offence?” Justice M Nagaprasanna said while granting the interim stay.The single-judge said that if such complaints are allowed to be made, it would amount to an abuse of the process of the law.“What has Arnab Goswami done? There is a plethora of things brought out by him. It might have proved good for some and bad for others but where is the case of inciting? We will hear both parties but now we will stay the investigation,” Justice Nagaprasanna said..The FIR against Goswami was registered following a private complaint made by Karnataka Congress member Ravindra MV.Ravindra had alleged that on March 27 this year, Republic TV Kannada, aired a news story claiming that traffic in the MG Road area in Bengaluru was stopped to enable passage for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and, hence, an ambulance was not given the right of way. However, at that time, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was not in Bengaluru. He was in Mysuru, the complainant had said.Senior Advocate Aruna Shyam, appearing for Goswami, told the Court that the news report was deleted as soon as the channel realised it was incorrect.Shyam also told the Court that the complainant had been overenthusiastic and had even “suggested” in the complaint about which provision of the IPC should be invoked against Goswami..“The petitioner is the executive director of Republic TV. He is now hauled into these proceedings for the offence under Section 505(2) of the IPC. The crux of the private complaint against him in the case is that a news report was aired on Republic TV Kannada where there was information about public suffering due to zero traffic instructions during the Chief Minister’s movements. The news appeared to be a canard. Immediately thereafter, the news was deleted. All of this happened within 24 hours. By then, the complainant has sought to register the crime. It is not understandable how 505(2) could spring even in the remotest sense in the present case. Therefore, it is a case of reckless registration of crime by the complainant,” the High Court said while granting relief to Goswami.The Court will hear the quashing plea filed by Goswami on January 16, 2025.