New Delhi, May 19 The Supreme Court Tuesday refused to transfer to CBI the criminal cases lodged against Republic TV Editor in-Chief Arnab Goswami for alleged defamatory news show telecast on April 21 in connection with the Palghar mob-lynching case.

Observing that Journalistic freedom lies at the core of freedom of speech and expression, the top court quashed all other FIRs except the initial one, which was registered at Nagpur and subsequently transferred to Mumbai for joint investigation with the complaint of the journalist regarding the alleged assault on him.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah Goswami asked Goswami to seek quashing of FIR before competent court and protected him from coercive action for next 3-weeks.

Press Trust of India