MAHA PLANS ACTION AGAINST ARNAB OVER LEAKED CHATS

MUMBAI: Maharashtra has sought legal opinion on taking action against Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami for allegedly leaking sensitive information related to the 2019 Pulwama attack and Balakot airstrike on Pakistan, based on transcripts of the journalist’s Whatsapp conversation released by Mumbai Police last week, state home minister Anil Deshmukh said on Tuesday.

Goswami, however, in a statement said that “it is beyond absurd to suggest that expecting India to strike back at Pakistan, after the Pulwama attack, was a crime”.

Deshmukh said the state government was taking legal opinion on the possibility of action under the 1923 Official Secrets Act, a colonial-era anti-espionage statute with punishments ranging between three and 14 years, because the Whatsapp conversation related to national security.

“We have taken serious note of the 500 pages of leaked Whatsapp messages between Goswami and EX-BARC chief Partho Dasgupta. In the messages, Arnab speaks about the Balakot airstrike two days before it happened. It is a serious threat to national security if such sensitive information was leaked to the media house,” said Deshmukh, whose NCP asked the Centre to set up a joint parliamentary committee to probe the purported chats. Deshmukh also called on Centre to initiate strict action. “On the state level, we are checking if Maharashtra Police can initiate action. I am speaking to senior police officers and have sought legal opinion if action can be initiated under section 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923,” said Deshmukh.

The chat transcripts were part of a 3,600-page charge sheet filed by Mumbai Police in connection with alleged manipulation of TRP and became public last week.

Deshmukh’s comments came after he met a delegation led by Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant, who demanded action against Goswami.