A fresh petitions have been filed against Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami in the Bombay High Court and the Karnataka High Court seeking a ban on both channel and the anchor from broadcasting anything.
Bhai Jagtap, a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council in the Bombay High Court and Suraj Thakur, vice-president of the Maharashtra Youth Congress, have filed the petition, while social activist and RTI activist Mohammad Arif Jamil of Bengaluru has filed the petition.
Both petitioners are seeking instructions from the State to lodge FIR against Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami for falsely potting the mob lynching of two sadhus and their driver in Palghar as a communal incident in a Republic TV segment and making allegations against Congress President Sonia Gandhi in connection with the said mob lynching.
An interim stay on all telecasts of Goswami and Republic TV should be done till the investigation is complete, acoording to the petition filed through their lawyer Rahul Kamerkar.
Along with this, there has been a demand for banning speaking against Arnab through any of his TV channels or online platforms.
The comments made in favor of hate are a criminal crime and an infringement on our fundamental ideals, including the right to life of the entire society.
The petitioners contend that the State Home Minister had already explained, via twitter, on 19 April, that there was no communal view of the incident and that the victims and the accused did not come from separate faiths. In reality, two policemen who were present on the spot but failed to save the sadhus and their driver were suspended and 101 people who were allegedly part of the mob were arrested.
The petitioners have applied for a ban on Republic TV and Arnab. The petitioners before the High Court of Bombay tried to file a FIR against Arnab and to order the State to start the investigation immediately.