Maharashtra’s former Minister and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad has served a legal notice on Arnab Goswami, president and Editor-in-Chief of “Times Now”, threatening to file a suit for damages amounting to Rs 100 crore against him and others for the allegedly defamatory statements made against him during the “Newshour” programme if the television channel failed to tender an unconditional apology to him within seven days.
In a notice served through his lawyer Prashant G Kadam, Awhad charged that Goswami had repeatedly made “abusive” and “defamatory” statements against him in the “Newshour” debate on the surgical strikes undertaken by the Indian Army across loC that was aired live on “Times Now” channel on October 6, 2016.
Among other statements made by Goswami while addressing him that Awhad took objection to were: “Behaving like a lout”, “who do you think you are”, “pompous, arrogant, uncivilised, uncouth”, “behaving like a third grade lout”, “a local politician from Mumbai” and “represents the most reprehensible form of politics”.
Apart contending that Goswami had made “absolutely false, offensive statements and allegations against my client”, Kadam stated in a legal notice issued to Goswami and others, the celebrated news hour anchor had “willfully without any authority tried to spin out the image of my client as a person doubting the surgical attack, criticizing the Indian Army and influencing the mind of the public and authority to the detriment of my client’s interest without verifying records”. Kadam also accused Goswami as having acted in the “most reckless and malicious manner” against his client.
Awhad’s lawyer demanded an “unconditional apology” on Newshour live programme and also on the television channel’s website, within seven days of the receipt of the notice.
Apart from Goswami, the others who have been sent legal notices include: Megha Prasad, Bureau Chief, Times Now, Avinash Kaul, CEO, Times Now, Sunil lulla, CEO, Times Global Broadcasting Coi ltd and Times Global Broadcasting Co ltd.