The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in the 2018 Anvay Naik abetment to suicide case, saying it will be a "travesty of justice" if personal liberty is curtailed.
The apex court also expressed concern over state governments targeting individuals on the basis of ideology.
Along with Goswami, the court also granted interim bail to two others in the case -- Neetish Sarda and Feroz Mohammad Shaikh -- on personal bond of Rs 50,000 each and directed that they shall not tamper with the evidence and shall cooperate in the probe.
A vacation bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee, which ordered that the accused shall not try to meet any witness in the case, said their release should not be delayed and the prison authorities should facilitate this.
Meanwhile, #ArnabIsBack began trending on Twitter on Wednesday evening. ".@republic is not only an nationalist channel par excellence but has today become the voice of freedom, equality. The channel represents the resistance against dictatorship and arbitrary rule. #ArnabIsBack (sic)," said BJP spokesperson Gaurav Goel. "Finally, the good news has arrived. Bail granted," tweeted BJP leader Sambit Patra.
"I laughed with him, I debated with him, I reported for him, I fought for justice with him, I predicted elections with him, I served India with him. My bro #ArnabGoswami is a passionate warrior who fights for the people of the country. He will roar louder now. #ArnabIsBack," said journalist Pradeep Bhandari.
Here are a few Twitter reactions:
(With PTI inputs)
