New Delhi: Editor Guild of India has expressed its unhappiness on the arrest of Republic TV editor in chief Arnab Goswami and condemned the entire incident. They have called upon the Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to ensure that Goswami is treated fairly and the state power is not used against the critical reporting by the media.

Earlier in the day, Republic TV founder & editor in chief Arnab Goswami was picked up from his house by the Mumbai police. According to Republic TV, 10 policemen entered Goswami’s residence and pushed him around, before taking him away. According to the media firm, the police had no summons or arrest warrants at the time of his arrest.

Another media firm reported that Arnab has been arrested in connection with an old abetment to suicide case of a 53-year-old interior designer. A Mumbai police official said that an architect and his mother committed suicide in 2018 over alleged non-payment of dues by Republic TV. Arnab, it says, has been arrested under Section 306 and Section 34 of IPC.

Reports are that Arnab will be taken to Raigad for questioning.

However, Republic TV has alleged that the cops “blocked Republic executive editor Niranjan Narayanswamy and senior associate editor Sanjay Pathak from entering his residence. Eight police vehicles and at least 40-50 Police personnel are in the building premises of Arnab, many armed. When Niranjan said that it is his right to report, he was thrown out of the building and the Mumbai police wanted his phone.”

Republic TV has alleged that Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh is carrying out a vendetta campaign against the channel.

I&B minister Prakash Javadekar has spoken out against the treatment being meted out to Arnab.