SC dismisses Republic plea seeking quashing of all FIRs

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed as “too ambitious” a plea filed by ARG Outlier — the parent company of Republic TV — and its director Arnab Goswami seeking protection for all Republic TV employees and quashing of all pending FIRs against it.

The petition had also sought a CBI enquiry against the Mumbai police commissioner and the state DGP. A bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud urged senior advocate Milind Sathe to withdraw the plea. “This is too ambitious,” Justice Chandrachud observed.

“You want us to quash all the cases? Or transfer them all to the CBI and order an enquiry against the DGP? This is too ambitious. You better withdraw the petition,” Chandrachud, who was sitting alongside Justice Indira Banerjee, observed.


“We have already refused to quash the FIRs in May,” he said. “We cannot quash all FIRs.” The bench had earlier consolidated all FIRs in Mumbai to facilitate a single probe into the charges against the company, its owners and staff.

The bench though allowed the petitioner to move the appropriate court for any further relief.

In his opening remarks, Sathe claimed that the company and its employees and stock-holders were being “hounded” and sought central government protection for the employees, stock-holders and directors, by way of relief from the top court.

He also sought quashing of all cases against its employees and directors. Sathe was assisted by advocate Siddharth Bhatnagar.

Republic TV is facing multiple FIRs over its alleged involvement in a TRP scam, FIRs regarding Arnab Goswami’s remarks over the killing of saints in Palghar, Maharashtra, and a privilege motion in the Maharashtra Assembly.

The top court had earlier granted him relief by way of protection from arrest in the Palghar case but refused to quash the FIRs against him. Instead it had directed that all the FIRs against him be consolidated and probed.

The court had also granted him bail in a abetment to suicide case. In the privilege case, a bench led by the CJI had issued notices and protected Goswami from arrest. It had, however, left the alleged TRP scam case to be dealt with by the Bombay High Court.