I can shed no crocodile tears over Arnab’s arrest!

It was on the 6^th May 2017 and I was camping in Gulmarg when the Republic TV was launched. It was a powerful launch, taking on Lalu Yadav and his scams. Arnab was the editor-in-chief and was louder than when he was a co-runner in Times now, his earlier job. Arnab, I recall had promised, “We shall bring out a new story of scam, corruption every day.”

He had set himself a lofty target, one to keep a sustained flow of scams, and two, to keep the viewers interest locked into his channel.  He had the blessings of the BJP party as he enjoyed being the mouthpiece of the ruling NDA. He forgot that media had to be as much possible neutral. Taking an unreconcilable and extreme position for or against any party could later cost him and his channel dearly. 

Yet he rubbished the status quo of interviews, debates, overwhelming the participants, and driving the course to precisely where he wanted. TRP became a focal point and relished bragging about the other channels ‘miles behind’ in viewership. He was loud, boorish and even offensive. With the proximity to the powers that be in the Centre, he presumed he was the judge, jury and the executioner. He missed out that there were as many enemies who were waiting to waylay him. Similar to the Centre, Arnab was convinced that he and his TV channel were the only ‘Nationalist’ channels and the rest were parroting the enemy voices, all the opposition parties being enemies of the nation!

Why is a mystery, but he took upon Sushant Singh Rajput’s death demanding arrest of Rhea Chakravarty, an actress over the apparent suicide. The dead actor left no suicide note! Arnab was relentless and egged on accusing anyone and everyone who was to his imagination the abettors, including the Mumbai police and the Maharashtra government, the Chief minister in particular. Arnab felt he is an enlightened elite from the media and was untouchable.

Attacking the police was the last straw, as old files were dusted and rechecked. One does not throw stones living in glass houses and Arnab erred on that account badly. The police, on written complaints started investigating the issue of fraudulent higher TRPs on three channels, Republic included. Arnab cried foul, and blamed another channel, India Today, as the real culprit, winning him no friends from the media fraternity.

Little would he have thought of that the suicide Anvay Naik, of one of his creditors, an interior decorator of his studio in 2018 will return to haunt him. Anvay had left a suicide note, blaming Arnab Goswami by name and two others for not clearing dues and leaving Naik in penury. His arrest in the wee hours was dramatic, like most of his staged shows, loud and shriek. Yet Arnab thought he has won the battle thinking of even higher TRPs in the future.

Arnab’s arrest is not without flaws. The suicide of Naik was a closed case, Arnab exonerated. Any reopening of the case had to have the court’s approval. Any other person arrested under similar circumstances would have got a bail the very next day and walked back. Arnab’s arrest and his two week custody explains the dangers of the civil liberty in India for any ordinary mortal. the Editors’ Guild released a muffled protest revealing a concern as well as a hidden relief over the arrest of the untameable Arnab. Arnab is one media person, whom I can quote as the most dangerous of the sort, that India can do without. 

The vindictiveness of the Government in taking a stiff stand against Arnab was, I guess, the news editor’s own making, when he presumed that he and his TV channel cannot be ever touched by law.  He will come out of jail, but I hope Arnab mellows down his rhetoric and intimidated broadcasts.

Today, on the 9^th Nov the Bombay High Court refused bail to Arnab lodged in custody from the 4^th Nov in connection with the abetment of Suicide. I believe the court has considered it ‘fumus boni luris’ with sufficient legal basis.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix

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