Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was questioned by the Mumbai police yesterday in connection with a case filed against him for allegedly defaming Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Goswami had been booked by the Sadar Bazaar police in Nagpur. An FIR, filed by Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut, was transferred to the NM Joshi Marg police station after Goswami moved the Supreme Court last week.

The FIR was filed when Goswami did a primetime show on Republic Bharat on the lynching of three men in Palghar. Goswami accused Sonia Gandhi of getting the sadhus killed and sending reports to Italy about how she managed to bump off Hindus in states where she governs. Not only this, according to Goswami, she was congratulated for her work by people in Italy.

Goswami's interrogation began at 9.30 am yesterday. Avinash Kumar, the deputy commissioner of police, Zone 3, told The Hindu: "We interrogated him as per procedure. He left around 9 pm."

After his questioning, Goswami released a statement saying he had been questioned for 12.5 hours. "The interrogation that was done today was about my comments on Sonia Gandhi. I have made it very clear that I stand by my comments. I have made it absolutely clear that everything I have said is correct. I have said to the police my side of the story and they are completely satisfied...And I am completely confident that truth will prevail on this and any attempts to intimidate me would not work," the statement said.

Goswami had also released a statement on April 26 about the Mumbai polce sending him two notices. Saying he was a "law-abiding citizen", Goswami also urged the police to show "similar alacrity" in investigating "the role of the Vadra Congress" in an alleged attack on him.

The attack in question reportedly took place on April 22, when Goswami and his wife were on their way back home from the Republic office in Mumbai. The police had arrested two members of the Indian Youth Congress in connection with the alleged attack but released them on bail last night.