The Alibaug police has sought 14 days custody of Republic chief Arnab Goswami on the grounds that he's a "highly influential person" and the case warranted "unbiased and fearless investigation".

The Mumbai police arrested Goswami from his home this morning for allegedly abetting the suicide of an interior designer in 2018. An FIR has also been registered against him for "allegedly assaulting a lady police officer" when the police reached his house, ANI reported. The police also booked Goswami's wife and son for obstructing police officers from performing their duty.

Goswami was produced before the judicial magistrate in Alibaug after he was taken to a civil surgeon, on the magistrate's instruction, Bar and Bench reported.

The police said that "loopholes" and "violation of criminal procedure" in the previous investigation needs to be addressed. "More custodial interrogation is essential. The case is very serious and sensitive...Preliminary investigation reveals that there is merit in the complaint made by the complainant as well as credible evidence available in the case. The current accused needs to be kept in custody as the accused is a highly influential person..."

Goswami alleged that the police had assaulted him. According to Bar and Bench, the Alibaug court rejected these allegations.

Additionally, a Supreme Court lawyer, Siddharth Acharya, has filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission against the Mumbai police and Raigad police, LiveLaw reported, for "unjustly and illegally manhandling, assaulting and arresting" Goswami.

The case

The interior designer, Anvay Naik, and his mother Kumud Naik were found dead in their home in May 2018. A suicide note purportedly written by Anvay claimed he had been forced to take his life because of financial problems caused by the non-payment of dues amounting to over Rs 5 crore by Goswami and two others. The police registered an abetment to suicide case but closed it in 2019.

In May this year, Maharashtra's home minister Anil Deshmukh announced a "fresh CID investigation" into the case after he was approached by Anvay's daughter.

This is a developing story.

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