Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV on Wednesday night finally apologised to ABP News for branding an ABP News reporter a goon of the Dalit leader and newly elected MLA, Jignesh Mevani.

The apology came close to 10 PM with a full screen text that said that channel ‘wish to convey our apology for the error, which we reiterate was unintentional.’

The news of Republic TV issuing an on-air apology was flashed by ABP News too.

Earlier tonight, the ABP News had started its 9 PM programme presented by Dibang with a special report that questioned the ethics behind Republic TV’s journalism. Dibang announced that his channel had demanded an apology, which hadn’t been broadcast yet and they will continue to wait for that.

Other sources within the ABP had told Janta Ka Reporter that they will file a criminal defamation case against Goswami and his channel if the latter failed to broadcast the apology on Wednesday night.

The controversy began after ABP News and columnist Pratishtha Singh expressed their outrage for Arnab Goswami’s decision to brand two innocent individuals as ‘goon.’ ABP News was incensed because the Republic TV had publicly defamed one of its reporters by branding him a goon, while Singh wrote a blog on Janta Ka Reporter highlighting how the controversial channel had portrayed her husband in poor light too.

Its on-screen headline attributed to Arnab Goswami on Tuesday night had screamed, “Tonight I will put out videos circling the pictures of the vulgar thugs who tried to intimidate Shivani and failed.”

The ABP News had threatened to file a defamation case against Arnab Goswami and his channel, Republic TV, if an on-air apology was not broadcast during the prime time show.

Sources told Janta Ka Reporter that Goswami had called the reporter to personally apologise, but the ABP News appeared determined for an apology.

We tried to contact Goswami for his response but he did not respond to our repeated calls. We will update the story once we hear from him.