In a temporary respite for Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami, the Bombay High Court granted him interim protection from any coercive action by the Raigad Police in the architect suicide case.
The HC even granted him exemption from physically appearing before the Alibaug Magistrate Court, with regards to this case.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Legislature on Friday extended till the last day of next session the time for the privileges committee to submit its report on breach of privilege notices against Arnab and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut. A proposal for deadline extension was moved in the Assembly by privileges committee chairman Deepak Kesarkar.
Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik had submitted the breach of privilege notices against Arnab and Ranaut to the office of the Assembly Speaker on September 7 for their "objectionable" comments.
In the suicide case of Anvay Naik, a Bench of Justices Sambhaji Shinde and Manish Pitale allowed Arnab not to attend the court proceedings in Alibaug.
Arnab was ordered by the Magistrate to physically appear before him on March 10. However, on Friday, he urged the bench led by Justice Shinde to exempt him from appearing before the Magistrate.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police said it would continue its earlier statement of not taking any coercive action against Arnab till April 16, the next date of hearing.
The city police told the judges that it would not take any action against Arnab and his colleagues from Republic TV, who all are accused in the TRP scam.
Notably, the city police had initially made this statement and the protection has been extended on every hearing.
The Bench is expected to hear the final arguments in the case on April 16. (With PTI inputs)
