Abhijit Iyer Mitra’s Jail Term Extended To 14 More Days

Bhubaneswar: Trouble mounted for research scholar Abhijit Iyer Mitra as his jail term was extended to another 14 days by the camp court at the Jharpada jail here on Tuesday. The court, however, reserved its verdict on the bail petition filed by Abhijit’s counsel Nikhil Mehera.

After his first appearance before the House Committee of the State Assembly on October 23 in connection with his derogatory remarks on Odisha, the Sun Temple, Lord Jagannath and the legislators of the Odisha Assembly, the Saheed Nagar police had arrested Abhijit on the same day and produced him before the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court in Bhubaneswar, which remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days till November 5. The police had later sent him to Jharpada jail.

On October 25, the Konark Police had taken Abhijit on a four-day remand to interrogate him over his derogatory remarks against the Sun Temple and about his aerial tour to Konark.

The House Committee on October 23 had asked Abhijit to appear in person on November 2 and submit an affidavit. Acting on the directive of the committee, he had appeared on November 2. But as he had failed to submit the affidavit, the court had asked him to appear again on the next day with the affidavit, which he did.