New Delhi: The Supreme Court has served a notice to the Secretary of Maharashtra Assembly for writing a letter to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief, Arnab Goswami an intimidating him by approaching the apex court against breach of the privilege case.
The top court issued the notice to the Secretary of Maharashtra Assembly on Friday who wrote the letter to Goswami on October 13, 2020.
The letter was produced before the top court by the Republic TV editor-in-chief's lawyer Harish Salve.
Harish Salve submitted an application with an affidavit by Goswami's wife in absence of the senior journalist, who has been jailed after his arrest in connection with a 2018 case of abetment to suicide.
As per media reports, till further orders, the top court has directed that journalist Goswami should not be arrested in the privilege matter.
The bench comprising justice AS Bopanna and justice V Ramasubramanian viewed that the letter interfered with the administration of justice by intimidating Arnab Goswami for approaching the court. The bench also termed the letter as unprecedented and shocking.
The bench said that the letter seems to intimidate the petitioner for approaching the Court and threatened him with penalty for the same.
"The assembly should be well advised to understand that the right to approach this Court under Art 32 of Constitution is itself a fundamental right," the bench of the court said.
The apex court has issued a notice to Attorney General KK Venugopal to assist in the matter.