Arnab Goswami

Republic TV head Arnab Goswami was on Monday questioned by Mumbai Police for about 12 hours in connection with an FIR over his remarks on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and the Palghar lynching.

Goswami was booked by the Sadar Bazaar police in Nagpur based on a complaint by the Maharashtra energy minister Nitin Raut over Goswami’s statements in his show Sonia Gandhi in connection with the Palghar incident.

Police said he was interrogated at the NM Joshi Marg Police station by the Mumbai Police since 9 a.m. and the interrogation continued for over 12 hours, National Herald reported.

The charges include provocation with intent to cause riot, promoting enmity between two groups on grounds of religion or race, deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs and defamation under relevant sections of the IPC.

The Supreme Court on Friday had granted three weeks protection from arrest to Arnab Goswami, in response to Goswami’s petition, urging the top court that no coercive measures should be taken on FIRs registered against him in Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Multiple FIRs had been lodged against him in various states for alleged hate speeches and defamation of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.