Remarks against Shivaji Maharaj: Journalist Koratkar gets 3-day police custody

A court in Maharashtrarsquos Kolhapur on Tuesday sent journalist Prashant Koratkar to police custody till March 28 for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati SambhajiKoratkar a Nagpur resident was arrested in Telangana on Monday following a case registered against him on February 26 The case stemmed from an audio conversation between him and Kolhapurbased historian Indrajeet SawantThe First Information Report FIR was filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS for allegedly promoting hatred or enmity between groups The controversy erupted after Sawant shared the audio recording on social media sparking widespread outrageEarlier on March 18 additional sessions judge D V Kashyap in Kolhapur rejected Koratkarrsquos anticipatory bail pleaKoratkar had claimed in the plea that his phone was compromised and the audio was doctored He also mentioned that he had issued a public apologyOn Tuesday the sessions court remanded Koratkar in police custody till March 28As Koratkar was being produced before the court amid tight police security the followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj raised slogans against himSawants lawyer Asim Sarode informed the court that Koratkar was on the run for the past one month and he formatted his mobile phoneThe police need his custody to investigate why he formatted the data from his phone Also police need to collect his voice samples As the accused was on the run for one month it is yet to be checked who helped him stay with them for so many days Sawant said reported PTIKoratkars lawyer Saurabh Ghag stated The whole matter is run via media trial The accused had issued a public apology The police have all the call details from February 25 hence there is no need for his further police custodyAfter hearing the arguments from both sides the court remanded Koratkar in police custodyBJP giving more importance to Aurangzeb than Shivaji Maharaj Sena UBT attacks former allyIt also said the Centre should remove the protected monument tag of Aurangzebs tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to prevent riots and cool down the heads of fanatics in the stateAmid growing demand to demolish Aurangzebs tomb opposition Shiv Sena UBT on Wednesday attacked the BJP claiming that the ruling party considers the Mughal emperor more important than Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj reported news agency PTIIt also said the Centre should remove the protected monument tag of Aurangzebs tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to prevent riots and cool down the heads of fanatics in the stateViolence erupted in Nagpur on Monday after stones were hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a rightwing body for the removal of Aurangzebs tombWith inputs from PTI