Abhijit Iyer Mitra taken into custody by Bhubaneswar police

Journalist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra on Tuesday was taken into custody by Odisha police after he appeared before the House Committee of the Odisha Legislative Assembly. Mitra is facing the allegation of making derogatory remarks on the Konark Sun Temple and Odisha.

He is slated to appear before the House panel again on November 2.

The police interrogated Mitra in a case lodged against him at Saheed Nagar Police station.

Satyajit Mohanty, Bhubaneswar's Commissioner of Police, said, "We had also a mandate to produce him before the House Committee of the Odisha Legislative Assembly on a privilege motion. The Supreme Court also instructed that adequate security has to be provided to Mitra. So with these two mandates police produced him before the House Committee today."

The proceedings went on until till 2 in the afternoon.

"After the proceedings in the House Committee concluded, he has been taken by the police and in custody now. The investigating officer will be examining him and on the basis of evidence so far collected, the IO will take action," added Mohanty.

The columnist had been summoned by the House Committee, headed by Leader of Opposition, Narasingha Mishra to appear before it on October 11, which he skipped.

The House Committee then issued another summon to the scribe to appear on October 23 at 11 am while directing the Director General of Police to issue the notice in the matter.

During a visit to the Konark Sun Temple on September 16, Mitra had posted a satirical video on Twitter, where he made derogatory remarks by posting a satirical video on Twitter insulting Odisha, its culture, tradition and the lawmakers.

Mitra was arrested by Odisha Police on September 20 from Delhi on charges of hurting religious sentiments. A Delhi court later granted him bail against a bond of one lakh and directed him to join the investigation at Konark police station.

He moved the Supreme Court for bail, where his plea was quashed.

On October 11, Mitra wrote an apology letter to the House Committee and the Speaker of the Odisha Assembly over his derogatory remarks and other offences he is accused of.