Mitra's counsel demands security to attend House Committee on October 11

A day after Supreme Court refused to grant an extension of bail to journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra, his counsel Friday sought security from Odisha Police to appear before the Assembly House committee. 

A six-member Assembly House Committee had summoned Iyer Mitra to appear before it on October 11 here for the alleged breach of privilege and derogatory remarks by him against Odisha and the Sun Temple in Konark. 

Puri superintendent of police Sarthak Sarangi said that Abhijit Iyer Mitras lawyer has in an email sought security from the police for him. 

"His counsel has informed that Iyer Mitra will attend House Committee on October 11 and sought protection. We have forwarded the mail to Bhubaneswar deputy commissioner of police on the jurisdictional point of view," Sarangi told PTI. 

Iyer Mitra was arrested and subsequently granted bail by a Delhi Court on September 20. He had been booked under different sections of the IPC including 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.) 

Two cases have been registered against Iyer Mitra's name - one at Konark Police Station in Puri district and another at Saheed Nagar police station in Khurda district. 

As Mitra's legal protection is ending on October 5, he had moved the Supreme Court seeking an extension of his bail tenure. 

The apex court had dismissed his bail plea. Iyer Mitra, a close friend of former Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda, had repeatedly made derogatory remarks against Odisha, its people and peoples representatives on social media last month. 

Iyer Mitra had come to Odisha on September 15 allegedly at the invitation of Panda. 

They were taken to Puri, Konark and Chilika in a chopper by Panda after which Iyer Mitra allegedly made some derogatory remarks in video posts on social media insulting the state, its culture and tradition, police said. 

The Odisha Assembly had adopted a privilege motion and constituted a committee to suggest action against Iyer Mitra for his alleged derogatory remarks. 

The privilege motion was moved by Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of the Congress and supported by the members of all the parties, including the ruling BJD and opposition BJP.

(With inputs from agencies.)