Arnab Goswami case | I acted on the instructions of Speaker, says Maharashtra Assembly official
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He was replying to a contempt discover issued by Supreme Court in Arnab Goswami concern
A Maharashtra Assembly official, who ‘threatened’ Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami with penalty for going to the Supreme Court, stated he had acted on the instructions of Speaker Nana Patole.
Vilas Athawale, the official, was replying to a contempt discover issued by a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde.
“We got his [Mr. Athawale] reply last [Monday] night… He is saying he was acting on the directions of the Speaker,” senior advocate Harish Salve, representing Mr. Goswami, briefed the court docket on Tuesday.
Chief Justice Bobde stated the court docket didn’t have a chance to review the reply resulting from the late hour during which it was filed on Monday evening. The court docket stated it will hear arguments on the subsequent date.
But this didn’t cease Mr. Salve from urging the court docket to serve the Speaker discover. He stated the Speaker ought to be given a chance to refute Mr. Athawale’s assertion.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, for Mr. Athawale, nonetheless stated there was no have to contain the Speaker instantly. Mr. Dave stated he would show to the court docket in the subsequent listening to that his shopper’s conduct didn’t quantity to contempt in the first place.
“First, My Lords may see whether there is any contempt here. Call the Speaker only if there is any,” Mr. Dave submitted.
“It is the other way around. First serve the Speaker and then decide on the contempt. He [Mr. Athawale] is saying he acted on the behest of the Speaker. If this statement is wrong, the Speaker should get a chance to say that…” Chief Justice Bobde responded.
Mr. Dave stated the court docket would dismiss the contempt case in the subsequent listening to.
“We will do what we have to do,” Chief Justice Bobde retorted.
“I am only saying what is the law,” Mr. Dave stated.
“And we are only dealing with the law,” Chief Justice Bobde responded.
Mr. Dave stated he would present the court docket that his shopper’s letter neither interfered with nor brought about disrepute to the administration of justice.
The court docket had initiated contempt proceedings towards Mr. Athawale, an Assistant Secretary with the Assembly, for his letter to the journalist on October 13.
In it, the official had accused Mr. Goswami of intentionally breaching the confidentiality of an ongoing privilege proceedings instituted towards him. Mr. Goswami is accused of breach of privilege for utilizing “sharp language” towards Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. In the earlier listening to, on November 6, Chief Justice Bobde had thundered at Mr. Athawale’s tone in the letter, saying nobody can dare forestall a citizen from accessing the court docket to guard his rights. Mr. Athawale was current for the digital listening to.
Senior advocate Arvind Datar, court docket’s amicus curiae in the case, stated Mr. Goswami had completed nothing incorrect in shifting the Supreme Court.
Mr. Datar additionally prima facie agreed that Mr. Athawale’s assertion advised he was performing as “agent of the Speaker”.
The court docket scheduled a listening to after two weeks.
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