Thread by @utkarsh_aanand

#SupremeCourt hearing on petition by #ArnabGoswami begins.

For #Congress-ruled states, Sr adv Kapil Sibal, Vivek Tankha, Manish Singhvi appear although Goswami's petition is yet to be admitted for hearing or notices issued.

Sr adv Mukul Rohatgi commences his arguments on behalf of #ArnabGoswami, starts with narrating the facts of the #Palghar lynching.

Rohatgi laments killing of two sadhus in #Palghar by 200 men even though 12 policemen were present there.

"It is shocking somebody took a video of the sadhus being lynched while the police is standing by & is virtually complicit," adds Rohatgi.

Rohatgi: "My client conducted a debate on his TV show. He raised questions over police.. some provocative questions for the #Congress chief by saying when people from minority is killed Congress is the first to raise the issue. So why isn't the chief now raising the issue?"

Rohatgi says there was a 'murderous' assault on #ArnabGoswami & his wife two days before, compelling him to rush to the top court. He alleges complaints being filed across states is an attack on freedom of speech.

A court in #Chhatisgarh has sent a notice to my client to appear.

Sibal starts arguing for #Maharashtra, reads out his statements from the April 21 show and questions if this could ever come under freedom of speech.

"You are trying to ignite communal violence here by putting Hindus against minority", Sibal argues.

#Maharashtra Govt seeks to prosecute #ArnabGoswami, tells the #SupremeCourt FIRs can't be quashed at this stage.

Sibal contends FIRs make out prima facie commission of offences, they will have to be investigated. He adds investigations can't be nipped like this.

What's so special about #ArnabGoswami, asks Sibal, adding if #RahulGandhi can appear in a defamation case why can't he?

Sibal also cites Kanhaiya Kumar to say if incitement to riot could be probed in that case, why can't it be investigated against Goswami?

Sibal says who knows sedition charge can tomoreow be invoked against #ArnabGoswami?

#Chhatisgarh & #Rajasthan also oppose the petition by claiming he has breached conditions of his broadcasting license by trying to create enmity between different religious groups.

Don't give protection to people like him who want to divide the country. If this court indulges him, it will send out a wrong message to everyone and he will also go on creating divides: #Maharashtra, #Chhatisgarh and #Rajasthan urges the #SupremeCourt.

Rohatgi starts his arguments in rebuttal by saying there can't be any parallel with #RahulGandhi since his client isn't a politician. The former AG adds the show didn't pander on religions but only talked about apparent complicity of the police & silence by the #Congress party.

Court starts dictating order, issues notices to Centre, different states. It has also asked #ArnabGoswami to bring all the complaints on record & amend his petition for clubbing of all cases.

#SupremeCourt protects #ArnabGoswami from arrest for two weeks, says no coercive action against him.

Court modifies order, protects #ArnabGoswami from arrest for 3 weeks.

All allegations against #ArnabGoswami to be investigated through one FIR in #Mumbai.

Goswami will have to move an anticipatory bail plea before the trial court within 3 weeks for continued protection.

"There should be no restraint on the media. I am averse to imposing any restrictions on the media," says Justice Chandrachud a sr adv Vivek Tankha seeks a restraint against #ArnabGoswami to repeat contentious statements again on TV.