Remarks against Shivaji-Sambhaji: Koratkar’s police remand extended till Mar 30
Koratkar, who was booked for allegedly threatening Kolhapur-based historian Indrajeet Sawant and making derogatory remarks against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj, was arrested by Maharashtra police from Telangana earlier this week
Arrested former journalist Prashant Koratkar was abused by a lawyer on Friday after being produced in a Kolhapur court, which extended his police remand till March 30.
Koratkar, who was booked for allegedly threatening Kolhapur-based historian Indrajeet Sawant and making derogatory remarks against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj, was arrested by Maharashtra police from Telangana earlier this week.
“While he was being escorted out of the court complex, a lawyer hurled abuses at him. However, no physical attack took place,” a Kolhapur police official said.
The defence countered that Koratkar is the sole breadwinner for his family, making prolonged custody unnecessary.
Koratkar was booked on February 26 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions for promoting hatred or enmity among groups on the basis of a phone conversation between him and 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, paving the way for his arrest.
