On Tuesday, delivering judgement in Journalist Arnab Goswami's Case, the Supreme Court refused to quash the FIRs filed against him and also denied transfering the investigation to the CBI.

A bunch of FIRs has been filed against Goswami in connection with statements he made recently during his news broadcasts.

The Top Court though has extended the interim protection granted to him against any coercive step by authorities for three weeks. He has been allowed to pursue his legal remedies during this period and the State Police has been directed to ensure protection to him.

The Bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud further confirmed the Court's earlier interim order in which the investigation against Arnab for the FIRs had been transferred from Nagpur to Mumbai.

The Court though had quashed subsequent FIRs and complaints lodged against the journalist, and noted that no other FIR or complaint shall be entertained or pursued on the basis of Goswami's April 21 news broadcast on the Bandra incident.

The Top Court opined that while Goswami as a Journalist have the Fundamental Right to speak truth to power, this right isn't absolute.

Earlier, the News Anchor had moved the Apex Court seeking quashing of the FIRs registered against him and transfer of investigation from Maharashtra Police to an independent agency (CBI).

The journalist has moved to the Court seeking quashing of FIRs filed in two different debates he organised on his news Channel Republic Bharat. One of the programs pertained to the Palghar mob lynching, after which he was accused of making defamatory and derogatory remarks against Congress President Sonia Gandhi, and making statements promoting disharmony between religious groups.

The other debate was on the Bandra migrant crisis that took place on April 14, during which Goswami allegedly made statements which led to communalisation of the incident.

A large number of FIRs were filed against him over the Palghar mob lynching debate and thus he moved to the Top Court seeking to quash them, claiming they are 'politically motivated'

Consequently, the Supreme Court passed an interim order staying action on all FIRs except the one filed in Maharashtra and granted him interim relief from arrest for a period of three weeks.

Subsequently, Goswami was interrogated by the Maharashtra Police for over 12 hours in connection with the case. In an unusual move, the Police also moved the Supreme Court claiming threats and pressure from Goswami thereafter.

In a subsequent petition filed by Goswami, he sought to quash an FIR registered in Mumbai against him over his broadcast on the Bandra incident claiming that the Police was acting with 'malafide and with ill-will'.

He then further raised grievance in Top Court of transfer of investigation in the matter to an independent agency such as the CBI as he distrust and had already leveled allegation against the Local Police.

However, the State of Maharashtra had opposed this request and maintained that the news anchor had prima facie violated the restrictions on Article 19 of the Constitution.

During the hearing, the Supreme Court had observed that the High Court would be the appropriate forum to decide the issue of the quashing of the single FIR against Goswami.

The Top Court has reserved its order in the matter and extended Goswami's interim protection until prnouncement.

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