New Delhi, 06 November : The Supreme Court has objected to the language of a letter sent by the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly to journalist Arnab Goswami in the breach of privilege case . The court has issued a notice of contempt to the Assembly Secretary. The court has stayed the arrest of Arnab Goswami till further orders on the matter.
During the hearing, the bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde said how dare an officer to threaten someone when he comes to the Supreme Court. During the hearing, senior advocate Harish Salve said that Arnab Goswami’s wife has filed an affidavit today as she is in jail in a serious case. The Chief Justice then asked if he was in jail in the same case. Then Salve said that I am going to show that thing today, after which the court will give interim relief to Arnab.
Salve showed the letter of the Secretary of the Legislative Assembly, to which the Chief Justice asked what it was. Salve then said that this was a letter sent to the then Chief Justice on behalf of an inmate in Nagpur jail in 1940, which the jail superintendent intercepted. A notice of contempt was then issued by the then Chief Justice. The Chief Justice asked who has appeared on behalf of the Legislative Assembly. Then Salve said that we served him notice several times but they did not appear. Salve said he has sent a show cause notice as to why his notice was shown in court. Then the court said how dare an officer. Salve then asked that Arnab be given interim relief. A second case is being registered against him and then a third case is being filed against him. The constitutional court should look at these.
Salve quoted the discussion on the suicide case of Anvay Nayak in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly saying that the home minister said on the floor of the assembly that Arnab Goswami should be taken into custody. The Chief Justice then stated that he had the right to say that an accused in the Suicide Case should be arrested. Salve then said that it should be investigated, political guidelines should not be issued. On one side the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is not presenting and on the other side is issuing show cause notice to give notice in court. Then Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the case of suicide case is in another court. Then the court said that we are not talking about that. How can you threaten someone to show notice in court. Salve asked the court to take cognizance of the letter of the Assembly Secretary.
On October 12, Harish Salve had said that the court notice could not be served to the assembly. In fact, a motion for breach of privilege has been moved against Arnab Goswami in both houses of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, after which a show cause notice has been sent to Goswami (HC)