SC rejects plea to prevent Mumbai police from acting against Republic TV staff

A petition asking for the Indian government to protect all employees of Republic TV and Republic Bharat from coercive action by the Mumbai police was quashed by the Supreme Court on Monday.

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud called the plea ambitious Live Law reported, “after seeing prayers such as direction to Union of India to grant protection, transfer all cases to CBI, restrain Maharashtra police from arresting Republic employees”.

Appearing for the TV network, senior advocate Milind Sathe claimed that an FIR has been registered against its entire editorial staff. “We have filed this petition against the hounding of our channel for the last few months,” he said.

The court asked for withdrawal of the petition but said the petitioner was at liberty to pursue alternative remedies.

The Mumbai police filed an FIR against staffers of Republic TV in October based on a complaint by Shashikant Pawar, a sub inspector with the Crime Branch. The FIR named Shivani Gupta, Sagarika Mitra, Shawan Sen, Niranjan Narayanaswamy, and “editorial staff and newsroom incharge”. It invoked the Police Incitement to Disaffection Act of 1922, along with Indian Penal Code provisions related to defamation.

Read Newslaundry’s coverage of the tussle between Republic TV and the Mumbai police.