BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha police on Tuesday arrested journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra for his alleged derogatory comments on Konark Sun Temple architecture. The development came hours after Abhijit appeared before a house committee of the Odisha Legislative Assembly for his alleged offensive remarks against the assembly and its members. 

Satyajit Mohanty, commissioner of police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, said Abhjit was arrested in connection with a criminal case registered against him at Saheednagar police station on September 20 for his allegedly remarks. “There was a pending case. Police found prime facie evidence against him requiring his arrest,” Mohanty told TOI. 

Abhijit has been booked under IPC Sections 294 (obscene acts or words in public), 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 506 (criminal intimidation), 500 (defamation), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 67 Information Technology Act (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form), the commissioner said. 

Before his arrest, Abhijit appeared before a committee of MLAs chaired by leader of opposition Narasingha Mishra in connection with a privilege notice served on for his remarks on the legislators.

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