Mumbai police submits charge-sheet against Arnab Goswami in suicide abetment case

MUMBAI: The charge sheet filed against Indian TV anchor Arnab Goswami by police in his alleged involvement in a 2018 suicide case says that the accused did not listen to victim Anvay Naik’s threats that he would end his life if his dues were not cleared.

The charge sheet against Goswami added that Naik, who was under severe mental stress due to non-payment of dues by the accused, first strangled his mother Kumud, a partner in his business, before hanging himself to death.

The police filed the charge sheet before a court in Alibaug in neighbouring Raigad district, where the case for alleged abetment of suicide of interior designer Anvay Naik and his mother has been registered.

Besides Goswami, the other two accused named in the charge sheet are Firoze Sheikh and Nitish Sarda.

The victim had told the accused that he would commit suicide if they don’t pay his dues. However, the accused ignored his threat and told him to do whatever he wants,” the charge sheet said.

“The accused didn’t pay his dues, which caused mental stress to Naik. He first strangulated his mother, thinking that she might land in trouble as she was also a partner in his business,” it said.

Naik later wrote a suicide note and then hanged himself, the charge sheet added.

Police said that they have relied on the purported suicide note as the “dying declaration”.

Naik’s handwriting has been matched with the writing in the suicide note and the forensic report indicated that he was not under duress while writing it, police said.

The chargesheet was filed a day after Goswami moved the Bombay high court seeking a stay on the probe and filing of the chargesheet