Mumbai Police has served notice to Republic TV Editor Arnab Goswami to join probe of first information report registered against him for his statement on Congress president Sonia Gandhi during a news show recently.
The FIR, filed by Maharashtra minister Nitin Raut under Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 41a, was initially filed in Nagpur but the Supreme Court ordered to transfer the matter to Mumbai.
'The Mumbai Police has sent me 2 notices in the last 12 hours saying they want to immediately interrogate me regarding my comments on Sonia Gandhi.
'As a law abiding citizen I will cooperate with the investigation, subject myself to interrogation tomorrow (Monday) morning,' Goswami said in a statement.
Accusing Goswami of making inflammatory statements in a televised debate on Palghar mob lynching, various leaders of the Congress party had filed a complaint against him.
"Goswami has tried to provoke people by using indecent language. Using derogatory language against someone is not acceptable. He also tried to insult Congress President Sonia Gandhi," Maharashtra Energy Minister and senior Congress leader Nitin Raut had said while filing a complaint against the journalist.
On Friday, the Supreme Court granted Goswami interim protection from arrest for three weeks in connection with several FIRs registered against him for allegedly defaming Congress interim president.
A two-judge bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud and also comprising Justice M R Shah, during the hearing held through video conferencing, said that 'no coercive action should be taken against Goswami for three weeks during which he can seek anticipatory bail and other reliefs'.
The TV journalist and his wife were allegedly attacked in Mumbai past midnight on Wednesday by two men while they were driving home from their office. The couple escaped unhurt in the incident.
In his complaint, Goswami pointed fingers at the Congress party and mentioned a celebratory tweet by its leader Alka Lamba 'just three hours after the attack'.
On Sunday, he urged the Mumbai Police to 'show similar alacrity and a sense of immediacy' in investigating the attack on him and his wife on April 23.
"Despite my repeated requests the Mumbai Police has refused to mention the role of the Vadra Congress and its leadership in instigating the attack, carrying out the attack, and celebrating the attack. In order to ensure that the role of the Vadra Congress in the attack is not erased, I am sharing further facts with the Mumbai Police," Goswami stated.
"I am sure that the Mumbai Police will not sidestep the detailed evidence available on the role of the Vadra Congress and delete the element of conspiracy and assault in the attack," he added.
Two persons were arrested on Thursday for allegedly attacking Goswami and his wife.
