The home department of the Maharashtra government drafted a high-level 40-member team led by Kokan range IGP Sanjay Mohite to arrest news anchor Arnab Goswami.
The preparations for “Operation Arnab” started a few days after Raigad police received the green light to reopen the investigation into the alleged suicides of architect Anway Naik and his mother Kumud in 2018, TOI reported.
According to the newspaper, top cop Mohite drafted the plan to arrest the Republic TV founder under the supervision of NCP’s Anil Deshmukh while the responsibility to execute it was entrusted to high-profile encounter specialist Sachin Vaze.
“For the team led by Mohite, it was a challenging task in view of the powerful Arnab. We acted very carefully, every member of the team observed restraint despite provocation,’’ TOI quoted a cabinet member as saying.
The cabinet member said after the preliminary investigation, it was confirmed that Arnab was allegedly involved in the abetment to suicide case.
He said the operation was carried out secretly because police feared that if the information is leaked, Arnab may flee the city to evade arrest.
Arnab was arrested in the early hours on Wednesday from his Mumbai residence.