Nagpur journalist Prashant Koratkar arrested from Telangana over derogatory remarks against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Nagpur journalist Prashant Koratkar, who was booked for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj during a phone call with a historian, was arrested from Telangana, on Monday.

The development comes within 24 hours of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis refuting allegations that police are shielding Koratkar. "Police are looking for him and action will be taken against him wherever he is, whether it is Dubai or anywhere else," the CM asserted.

Koratkar was taken into custody in Telangana and is being brought to Maharashtra, PTI reported, quoting a Maharashtra police official.

Earlier in the day, while commenting on a question about Kunal Kamra's 'traitor' remark on Eknath Shinde, UBT-Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray remarked that these ‘traitors’ don’t see Solapurkar and Koratkar who insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Koratkar was booked on February 26 for allegedly threatening Kolhapur-based historian Indrajeet Sawant and making derogatory comments against the Maratha king.

Earlier, Koratkar had applied for anticipatory bail. However, the court refused to grant him interim relief.

Koratkar denies allegation

— On March 18, the court of Additional Sessions Judge DV Kashyap in Kolhapur rejected his anticipatory bail plea.

— Koratkar has denied the allegations, reiterating that his phone was compromised and the audio was doctored.

— The Kolhapur police had registered a case against the Nagpur resident under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for promoting hatred or enmity between groups and other offences.

What is the case?

Historian Indrajeet Sawant, who resides in Kolhapur city, got a call in February wherein the caller identified himself as 'Prashant Koratkar' and threatened to kill him for allegedly trying to spread hatred against the Brahmin community, PTI quoted an official as saying.

The caller also made derogatory remarks against Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj, he said.

Sawant shared the audio clip of the call on his social media account and also approached the Juna Rajwada police in Kolhapur to lodge a complaint against the caller, the official said.

Based on his complaint, the police registered a case against the person under various Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections, including 196, 197 (both related to promoting enmity or disharmony between different groups), 299 (outraging religious feelings), 151 (protecting autonomy and authority of high-ranking officials) and 352 (provocation, insult), he said. The Kolhapur police have also sought technical assistance from the cyber cell for the probe, the official added.