The Supreme Court granted Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami three weeks of protection from arrest in April 2020 in connection with multiple FIRs filed across six states (Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and J&K). The cases stemmed from his news debates on the Palghar lynching incident, where he allegedly linked the Congress party to the violence. Authorities charged him under IPC Sections 153A (promoting enmity), 153B (imputations prejudicial to national integration), 295A (outraging religious feelings) and others, claiming his broadcasts risked inciting communal violence between Hindus and minorities. In his Article 32 petition, Goswami argued the FIRs violated his fundamental right to free speech under Article 19(1)(a). While granting interim relief, the SC noted the need to balance media freedom with preventing communal discord, as the debates involved sensitive allegations about political involvement in the lynching.
