REPUBLIC TV, ARNAB GET HC NOTICE ON THAROOR’S PLEA

Delhi high court on Friday issued a notice to Republic TV and Arnab Goswami on Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s plea seeking its direction to restrain the channel and the journalist from “misreporting” his wife Sunanda Pushkar’s death case.

Tharoor on Thursday alleged that despite an assurance given in the court on May 29 by the counsel for Goswami and the news channel, they were engaged in “defaming and maligning” him.

“If he (Republic TV) wants to investigate the case, we can’t stop it. The only matter is he should not call you (Tharoor) names,” the high court said adding that Tharoor’s right to silence has to be respected.

The high court did not give any interim order on Tharoor’s plea to restrain Republic TV from making defamatory publications against him.

It said there was “no urgency” as the main case, in which Tharoor has filed a ₹2 crore defamation case against Republic TV, is coming up for hearing on August 16.

Senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for Tharoor, said Republic TV was “making a complete mockery of court proceeding”.

Khurshid contended the news channel was pre-empting the investigation by calling Pushkar’s death as a case of murder.

To this, the judge said, “To say it’s a case of murder which needs to be investigated, I don’t think it should be a problem...”