Breaking: Kerala High Court stays summons to Arnab Goswami in Shashi Tharoor Defamation case

The Kerala High Court yesterday stayed the summons issued by a Trial court to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in the criminal defamation case initiated by Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor against Goswami..The order staying the proceedings was passed by Justice K Abraham Mathew..Tharoor had filed the case citing baseless statements broadcasted by Arnab Goswami in relation to the demise of Tharoor’s wife, Sunanda Pushkar..The case was filed in June last year. The order summoning Goswami was passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate who opined that there was sufficient material to make out a prima facie case against Goswami..Goswami had challenged this in High Court seeking quashing of the criminal complaint and the summons issued pursuant to the same..In his petition, Goswami has stated that Tharoor had suppressed material facts and records including the fact that a chargesheet has been filed in the Patiala House court naming Tharoor as the sole accused in the Sunanda Pushkar case..The facts suppressed will have a considerable bearing on the case before the Trial court, the petition states..Further, the petition also avers that the criminal case was filed by Tharoor with mala fide intent to harass Goswami as there is a history of personal animosity between the two since 2010 when Goswami had reported about IPL Kochi scam involving Tharoor who was then the Minister of State for External Affairs..The Court yesterday issued notice in the case and stayed the trial court proceedings.