SC Extends Interim Protection Of Abhijit Iyer Mitra Till October 5

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday extended the interim protection of journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra till October 5.

The apex court, in its order, directed the Odisha Police to provide him with adequate protection if he needs to appear before the Orissa High Court during his visit to Odisha on Thursday.

Informing the media, Abhijit’s counsel, Yatinder Choudhury, said the apex court has granted bail to his client till October 5 and directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of Odisha to provide him adequate protection.

“The apex court also asked us to take legal remedies after the completion of the bail period,” he added.

Abhijit, whose derogatory remarks on Odisha, the Sun Temple of Konark and Lord Jagannath had triggered widespread resentment across the state, was arrested by the Odisha Police after being interrogated at the Nizamuddin Police Station in New Delhi on September 20. However, the court rejected the appeal of the Odisha Police to take the journo on a transit remand to the state for further interrogation, as they failed to produce relevant evidence to justify his arrest and granted conditional bail by the Metropolitan Magistrate of the Saket Court till September 28. 

The court had also directed Abhijit to appear at the Konark police station after September 28 in connection with a case registered by the police following a complaint by Bimbadhar Beura for his derogatory remarks on the Sun Temple.