Following the arrest of Republic TV editor in Chief Arnab Goswami and three others in alleged suicide case of interior designer Anvay Naik, his wife Akshata and daughter Adnya Naik addressed a press conference at their Prabhadevi residence and welcomed the step taken by the police.
They said that this should have been done earlier and now the police should do a fair investigation.
While questioning the Raigad police which filed a closure report in the suicide case in April 2019, Akshta said that how did the police file the closure report even after finding a suicide note.
According to her, her husband kept asking for his dues of Rs 83 lakh which was pending with Republic. She alleged that Goswami was not releasing the money. Anvay's daughter Adnya alleged that Goswami threatened to spoil her career. "He also influenced others not to give my husbands pending dues," said Akshata.
Republic studio was Anvays last project.
"In over last year, we were pressurised and threatened by various people and unknown people used to visit at our place on various occasions. Anil Paraskar then SP Raigadh then was kept saying that we would be called in court for hearing but we were never called and police kept us in court. On 22 Feb 2019 police called us to sign a closure report at that time we were manhandled as well," the mother-daughter duo told the media.
"In the case, Goswami's statement was recorded in the office of Joint police commissioner's office in Mumbai. Why he was given so much of privilege?" asked Adnya.
"Our husband told us that whenever we received money pay to contractors and vendors," said Akshata. Instead of doing politics over the issue people should stand by us, she added.
"Now we are getting support which was lacking then. But I will not say any political party was responsible for this mess," Adnya clarified. We have no issue even if the case goes to CBI our fight is for justice and nothing else, said Akshata
On May 18 Anvay Naik and his mother Kumud were found dead at their bungalow in Alibaug. Police then said that Anvay had committed suicide while his mother had been strangulated to death. It was believed that Anvay killed her before committing suicide. Police then registered an Accidental Death Report in Anvay's death while murder case was registered in her mother's case.
During the investigation, police found a suicide note purportedly written by Anvay, in which he said that they both had decided to take extreme step because their payments due were not cleared by the owners of three companies namely Arnab Goswami of Republic TV, Nitesh Sarda of Smartworks and Firoz Shaikh of IcastX/ Skimedia.
These three companies owed Rs 83 lakh, Rs 55 lakh and 4 crore respectively to Naik's Concorde Designs Pvt Ltd. Goswami had denied these charges and said that he had made the payments.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Anvay was in heavy debt and was struggling to repay contractors.
In April 2019, Raigad police sent a closure report in the court saying they did not find shreds of evidence in the case against three accused named in the suicide note.
In May Anvay's wife approached state home Minister Anil Deshmukh requesting him to reopen the case.
