Arnab Goswami tenders unconditional apology to former TERI chief before Delhi HC
Darpan News Desk IANS, 25 May, 2023 11:36 AM
New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has tendered his unconditional apology before the Delhi High Court in a contempt case filed by late environmentalist and former The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) chief R.K. Pachauri.
Pachauri had filed a contempt of court petition in February 2016, alleging several media houses for deliberately and contemptuously not following the court's orders restricting them from publishing sexual harassment claims against him.
Goswami's affidavit read: "I hereby tender my apology to this Hon'ble Court and request that this Hon'ble Court may graciously be pleased to accept the apology and close the instant proceedings against the deponent."
The affidavit further read that Goswami is a respectable citizen of the country, who abides by the law and holds all courts in high esteem.
"I had no intention to commit any act/omission amounting to disobedience much less, wilful disobedience of the orders of this Court. I say that the alleged broadcasts were done under the bona fide belief that the same was not prohibited in terms of order passed by this Hon'ble Court on 18.02.2015 passed in C.S. (OS) 425 of 2015. The alleged broadcasts were made as part of fair reporting in view of the liberty under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India as recognised by this court in the aforesaid order," the affidavit further read.
When the case was filed in 2016, Goswami was with Times Now. Earlier, the Economic Times and its Senior Assistant Editor Raghav Ohri had tendered an unconditional apology in the matter.
The plea was also filed against Bennet & Coleman and former NDTV promoter Prannoy Roy. Pachauri had said that he was being subjected to a media trial and that the reports carried by the publications were defamatory and prejudiced his case.Pachauri, who passed away in 2020, was accused of sexually harassing a colleague while he led the TERI.
His plea contended that the media houses were absolutely restrained from publishing any news report or article or opinion with respect to the allegations of sexual harassment against him.
The Chief Minister urged the industrialists to make optimum use of this congenial atmosphere backed by excellent infrastructure, power, skilled human resources and the best industrial and work culture to spread their business.
The police have also recovered a major portion of the loot from them even as the incident on Monday sent shockwaves in the glittering Zaveri Bazar area - the hub of gold jewellery business in south Mumbai.
As Bhagwanpuria's counsel Deepak Sharma said that there was danger to the life of his client, the Punjab Police said then keeping the threats in mind, they brought extra vehicles with armed police personnel for the safety of the accused.
According to the cause list uploaded on the apex court website, a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and J.K. Maheshwari will pronounce the order on January 25. The apex court had reserved its order on Mishra's plea on January 19.
Accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala is accused of killing his live-in partner Walkar and then chopping her body into several pieces and storing them in a refrigerator before disposing of them in the Chhatarpur forest near his house over a period of three months.
After the process of identification is over, the bodies will be brought to Ghazipur. On January 16, family members of the four youths were sent to Kathmandu by road with head of Chak Jainab village Vijay Jaiswal, nayab tehsildar and a revenue inspector to claim and bring back the bodies.
