Maharashtra Police Arrested Journalist In Telangana For Remarks On Chhatrapati Shivaji
The arrest comes after a formal case was registered against the journalist in Kolhapur concerning his controversial statements. Further legal process against him will be followed.
Mumbai/Pune, Mar 24 (PTI): Maharashtra Police arrested Nagpur-based journalist Prashant Koratkar from Telangana on Monday for allegedly making derogatory remarks against 17th-century Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji.The arrest comes after a formal case was registered against Koratkar in Kolhapur concerning his controversial statements."We have taken him into custody and a police team is bringing him to Kolhapur. Further legal procedure will follow," Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Mahendra Pandit said.
During investigation, police found Koratkar's location in Telangana and a police team was rushed immediately to arrest him. He will be presented before a court in Kolhapur after being brought back to Maharashtra.
Koratkar was booked on February 26 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions for promoting hatred or enmity among groups on the basis of an audio conversation between him and Kolhapur-based historian Indrajeet Sawant.
Koratkar had allegedly made the objectionable comments during this conversation, which Sawant posted on social media, resulting in widespread outrage and calls for the former's arrest.
Earlier, Additional Sessions Judge DV Kashyap had granted him protection from arrest till March 1, following which Kolhapur police approached Bombay High Court seeking cancellation of this interim protection.At the time, the Bombay HC asked the Kolhapur sessions court to hear the matter.
On March 18, the court of Additional sessions judge D V Kashyap in Kolhapur rejected Koratkar's anticipatory bail plea.
While seeking pre-arrest bail, Koratkar had claimed his phone was compromised and that the audio was doctored. He also mentioned that he had issued a public apology.
He had also contended that Sawant’s decision to release the video before registering the FIR was intended to incite communal tensions and provoke breach of peace.
On Saturday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis refuted allegations that police is shielding Koratkar, who is based in the senior BJP leader's home town Nagpur.
"Police are looking for him and action will be taken against him wherever he is," the CM had asserted.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
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