Odisha HC grants conditional bail to Papu Pom Pom

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Aug 10:

The Orissa High Court today granted conditional bail to Odisha comedy actor Tattwa Prakash Satpathy alias Papu Pom Pom and his aide Pradipta Swain alias Gitu in the minor girl casting couch case, informed Papu’s lawyer Debasnana Das.

The High Court allowed Papu to go on bail subject of furnishing of two sureties and a bail bond of Rs 20,000.

The court has asked Papu to cooperate in the investigation process and not to influence witnesses in the case, Das said.

The court had yesterday kept its verdict reserved after completing its hearing on the bail pleas of the duo.

Papu, who is accused of sexually exploiting a minor girl on the pretext of giving her a break in movies, had filed a bail petition with the High Court on July 27 and the court had scheduled the hearing for August 3. However, the hearing could not take place as the police had failed to submit the case diary in the matter.

Earlier, the Khordha District and Sessions Court on July 11 had rejected the bail plea of Papu in the much talked about case.

Notably, the Twin City Commissionerate Police had arrested Papu and his aide Pradipta on June 30 from an apartment in Puri and produced them before the residential court of the Khordha District and Sessions Judge.

The Rangeela Toka-fame actor has been charged under sections 354(A), 506, 509 of the IPC and sections 8, 12 and 17 of the POCSO Act.