The Alibaug Police on Wednesday morning arrested Republic Television editor Arnab Goswami from his Mumbai house in connection with the death of interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud Naik in 2018. As per reports, Mumbai Police raided Arnab's home and physically assaulted him in front of his family. The Mumbai Police also dragged Arnab by his hair.
This comes at a time when the TRP scam investigation against Goswami is going on in Mumbai. Also, Arnab had been reporting against Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. In 2018, the Alibaug police had filed a case of abetment to suicide but in 2019 the case was closed by Raigad Police. The Mumbai Police have re-opened the case and arrested the Republic TV Editor-in-Chief.
Responding to this Union Minister Smriti Irani slammed the Maharashtra State Government and called them fascist. Irani wrote, "Those in the free press who don’t stand up today in support of Arnab, you are now tactically in support of fascism. You may not like him, you may not approve of him,you may despise his very existence but if you stay silent you support suppression. Who speaks if you are next ?"