Bhubaneswar: A local court here sent Abhijit Iyer Mitra to 14-day judicial custody after rejecting his bail plea Tuesday night. Mitra was sent to the special jail at Jharpada. Earlier, the city police took Mitra into custody after he deposed before an Assembly committee for his anti-Odisha tirade in social media.
According to sources, his lawyer argued that as Mitra is ready to co-operate with the police there is no need to send him to judicial custody. However, the court did not accept his arguments.
Sahid Nagar police arrested Mitra in a case (432/18) under Sections 294,295(A), 500, 153(A) of IPC and 67 of IT Act. IGP Soumendra Priyadarshi said Mitra will be interrogated in two different cases by the Puri police. He is also a witness in another case at Arakuda Marine police station. Two cases have been filed against him at Konark and Sahid Nagar police station for his derogatory remarks against Konark temple and the state in November last year.
Police grilled Mitra at an undisclosed place before he was brought to the police station. Later he was produced before the SDJM court. Meanwhile, Puri police will appeal the court to take him on a 7-day remand to interrogate him in cases at Konark police station and Arakuda Marine police station Wednesday. Earlier in the day, Iyer deposed before the house committee formed to probe his derogative remark against MLAs.
The panel headed by leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra interrogated Iyer for two-and-half-hours in two rounds in room No 54 of the State Assembly under police protection. The committee recorded his statements and asked him to reappear before it at 11 am November 2.
“He accepted all the charges against him and said ‘I beg apology for my stupidity’. We have asked lain to submit his statement in form of an affidavit at the next meeting. We will then examine what further action will be taken against him,” Mishra told media.
