MUMBAI: The Supreme Court has granted three weeks’ protection to Republic TV managing director and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami from arrest in the case of a series of FIRs filed against him in various states.

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FIRs were filed against him in some states in connection with making alleged defamatory statements during news shows on lynching of three persons, including two priests in Maharashtra.

FIRs were lodged in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Jammu & Kashmir.

A bench, comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah, said during a video conference that "no coercive actions" shall be taken against him for two weeks.

“Court intends to protect the petitioner for a period of three weeks from today and permit him to move anticipatory bail application before the trial court or high court. For a period of two weeks, the petitioner shall be protected against any coercive steps in relation to the FIRs arising out of the telecast which took place on April 21,” said the court.