Arnab Goswami Now Offers “Unconditional Apology” To Pachauri

NEW DELHI, (IANS) – Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has tendered his unconditional apology before the Delhi High Court in a contempt case filed by late environmentalist and former The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) chief R.K. Pachauri.

Pachauri had filed a contempt of court petition in February 2016, alleging several media houses for deliberately and contemptuously not following the court’s orders restricting them from publishing sexual harassment claims against him.

Goswami’s affidavit read: “I hereby tender my apology to this Hon’ble Court and request that this Hon’ble Court may graciously be pleased to accept the apology and close the instant proceedings against the deponent.”

The affidavit further read “I had no intention to commit any act/omission amounting to disobedience much less, wilful disobedience of the orders of this Court. I say that the alleged broadcasts were done under the bona fide belief that the same was not prohibited.”

When the case was filed in 2016, Goswami was with Times Now. Earlier, the Economic Times and its Senior Assistant Editor Raghav Ohri had tendered an unconditional apology in the matter.

The plea was also filed against Bennet & Coleman and former NDTV promoter Prannoy Roy. Pachauri had said that he was being subjected to a media trial and that the reports carried by the publications were defamatory and prejudiced his case. Pachauri, who passed away in 2020, was accused of sexually harassing a colleague while he led the TERI.

His plea contended that the media houses were absolutely restrained from publishing any news report or article or opinion with respect to the allegations of sexual harassment against him.