Karnataka HC Quashes Fake News Case Against Arnab Goswami

Karnataka High Court quashes the fake news case against journalist Arnab Goswami, calling it an "abuse of legal process." The case was filed over a Republic TV report.

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The FIR was filed after a complaint by Karnataka Congress member Ravindra MV, alleging a false report about CM Siddaramaiah blocking traffic in Bengaluru.

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Republic TV Kannada had reported that an ambulance was delayed due to CM Siddaramaiah’s convoy. However, the CM was in Mysuru, not Bengaluru, at the time.

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The police booked Goswami under IPC Section 505(2) for allegedly promoting enmity. However, the court ruled that the charges did not apply in this case.

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Justice M Nagaprasanna noted that such complaints lead to the reckless registration of cases, warning against misuse of legal provisions in journalism.

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The court granted relief to Goswami, stating that the case lacked merit. The news report was deleted after realizing the mistake, strengthening Goswami’s defense.

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