The Bombay High Court on Friday granted interim exemption to TV journalist Arnab Goswami from appearing before a magistrates court at Alibaug in adjoining Raigad district in connection with an abetment to suicide case.

The relief has been granted till April 16.

Goswami, the Republic TV Editor-in-Chief, and two others are accused of abetting the suicide of Alibaug-based interior designer Anvay Naik, who killed himself in 2018 over alleged non-payment of dues by the companies of the accused.

They were arrested on November 4, 2020. The accused failed to get relief from the HC after which they approached the Supreme Court which granted them bail on November 11.

On Friday, Goswamis advocate Sanjog Parab told a division bench of Justices S S Shinde and Manish Pitale his client has been directed to appear before the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Alibaug, a coastal town 100km from Mumbai, on March 10 for committal of the trial in the case to a sessions court.

The HC was hearing a petition filed by Goswami challenging the FIR lodged against him by the Raigad police in the case and the subsequent chargesheet submitted in the local court.

The 47-year-old journalist, who has denied charges levelled against him in the case, has sought the HC to quash the FIR.

Parab sought the HC to grant Goswami exemption from appearance in the local court.

Since we are seized of the matter, we grant the petitioner (Goswami) protection with regard to exemption from appearance till April 16 when we will hear the plea further, the court said in its order.