Journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra arrested in Delhi for making anti-Odisha remarks

New Delhi, Sep 20: Former Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda's close friend and journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra has been arrested after interrogation by Delhi's Nizamuddin Police on Thursday, in connection with the derogatory remarks on Odisha.

After making controversial remarks of the Sun Temple in Konark, Iyer in his twitter handle termed people in Odisha as 'purchased presstitutes' and 'paid outragers'. Besides, he questioned the English knowledge of Odia people.

Counsel for journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra said,'' Abhijit has been taken to Nizamuddin police station. He has been told that a case has been registered against him in Odisha. He hasn't been told what the case is or who has registered it. He hasn't been given a copy of the FIR.''

''He's being taken to Saket court for remand. We're going there to oppose it. We haven't even been given a copy of the FIR so we can't say what the offences are, who the complainant is or under what sections case has been registered,'' he further said.

Police has booked Iyer under Section 295 (A) of the IPC (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.- Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of citizens of India, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both).