The Karnataka High Court has placed an interim stay on all investigations against Republic chief Arnab Goswami in a “fake news” case filed against him in March 2024.
Bar and Bench quoted Justice M Nagaprasanna as saying: “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.”
Goswami and Niranjan J, the editor of R Kannada, were booked for spreading “fake news” that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s convoy had obstructed traffic, including an ambulance, in Bengaluru. However, Siddaramaiah was in Mysuru at the time.
So, based on a complaint from the Congress party, an FIR was registered in Bengaluru under section 505(2) of the then Indian Penal Code for “creating or promoting enmity”.
According to Republic, its lawyer Aruna Shyama told the court that the report in question had been deleted as soon as the channel learned it was incorrect.
The court said, “The news appeared to be a canard. Immediately therefore, 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 case will be heard next on January 16.
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