Complaints have been filed with the Mumbai Commissioner of Police demanding action against Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami under the Official Secrets Act:
Maharashtra Congress demanded for the arrest of Republic TV’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami by registering cases for sedition for leak of sensitive information related to national security through WhatsApp chat.
About the Official Secrets Act:
- Originally enacted during the time of Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905.
- One of the main purposes of the Act was to muzzle the voice of nationalist publications.
- The Act replaced the earlier Act, and was extended to all matters of secrecy and confidentiality in governance in the country.
- It broadly deals with two aspects:
- Spying or espionage, covered under Section 3.
- Disclosure of other secret information of the government, under Section 5.
The Act does not say what a “secret” document is
- It is the government’s discretion to decide what falls under the ambit of a “secret” document.
