Defence analyst Abhijit Iyer-Mitra who has been arrested over his alleged anti-Odisha remarks has been admitted to Capital Hospital after he complained of illness, reported Orissa Post.
Abhijit Iyer has been under judicial custody in Jharpada jail after he was arrested for allegedly hurting sentiments of the Odia people after he had posted a satirical video on social networking website, Twitter.
Reportedly, Abhijit Iyer has been facing some severe mental trauma which has led to deteriorating health condition. He has now been admitted to the surgery ward of Capital Hospital.
A senior police officer has told local media that his health condition has been bad since Friday. He further added that Abhijit was earlier taken for a medical check-up and put back in the jail later. However, he has now been admitted to the hospital after his condition further worsened Friday night.
Abhijit Iyer Mitra was first arrested in September for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of people and making derogatory remarks against the state, the Konark temple and Lord Jagannath. However, he had immediately clarified regarding the controversy soon after it went viral. Iyer-Mitra had also allegedly flown in a helicopter with former BJD MP Baijayant Panda over the Chilika Lake.
A Delhi court had granted him bail, but it had ordered him to join the police investigation but he did not, alleging a threat to his life. Iyer-Mitra then moved the Supreme Court for protection from arrest. On October 4, the top court refused to grant him bail, saying jail was the “safest place” for him.
On October 24, the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police had arrested him in connection with a criminal case filed for his tweets in 2017. A camp court at the Jharpada Jail in Bhubaneswar had once again declined defence analyst Abhijit Iyer-Mitra’s bail plea.
However, the Odisha assembly had recently accepted the recommendations of a House committee for considering an apology from journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra but he was not released from the custody.