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.
Also on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the occasion of Parakram Jayanti and said: "Today, on Parakram Diwas, I pay homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and recall his unparalleled contribution to India's history."
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Health Minister Balbir Singh said the inauguration program would be held in Amritsar on January 27. The Chief Minister will inaugurate the clinics, while AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will attend the programme as the chief guest.
A police official said that during normal checking of vehicles on Sunday night in Imphal, two persons were apprehended and the drugs, smuggled from Myanmar, were recovered from their procession. The drug peddlers, identified as Md. Abdul Salam and Md. Wasim Akram, have been arrested under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The bodies of a married couple and their two children, aged three and 11, were found metres from the border on Jan. 19, 2022. Investigators have said they believe the deaths were linked to a human smuggling operation, and a man charged in the U.S. is to stand trial later this year.
A video showing the woman's ordeal has gone viral on social media in which she is seen lying on the ground in a public place. The incident took place on Thursday and the woman, identified as Kalpana, was "turned back without check-up".
The Chief Minister, while interacting with the media after reviewing the progress of development projects worth Rs 167 crore in the city, said it is ironic that the Maharajas in power were more concerned about their own development rather than that of the city. He said though Patiala was known as 'City of Gardens' but due to apathy of those in power, the city lost its shine in the last few years.
