Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jun 30:

Odisha police have issued a notice to casting couch accused actor Tattwa Prakash Satapathy aka Papu Pom Pom to appear before it by July 7 in connection with the case pertaining to seeking sexual favours from a minor girl on the pretext of giving her break in movies.

papu notice

According to reports, as many as five personnel of Mahila police station here went to the actor’s rented house in Jagannath Vihar at Baramunda under Khandagiri police station limits at around midnight yesterday and pasted a notice (Latka) on the wall as no one was present in the house.

However, some men, said to be the supporter of Papu, allegedly pulled down the Latka late last night following which Mahila Police again pasted the notice this morning.

As per the notice, the police have asked the actor to depose before it by July 7 and cooperate in the investigation. The beleaguered actor has been asked to appear before the Investigating Officer (IO) every 15 days, besides as and when required till the investigation is over. In addition to this, he has been asked not to leave the city without informing the police.

The notice further read that he would not influence the witness and tamper with the evidence.

On July 26, Mahila Police had registered a case (150/27/06/2016) under Section 354 (A), 506, 509, 39 of IPC and Sec 12 of POCSO Act, 2012.

The case was registered after a social organisation—The Friends Foundation Trust— on last Saturday filed a complaint on behalf of the victim with the Mahila Police station here alleging the actor of sexually exploiting and intimidating a minor girl after promising to get her acting roles in movies.

Apart from Papu, one of his aides Pradipta Swain alias Gitu was also named in the complaint.

With women’s wing of Opposition parties and other social organisations raising pitch for his arrest, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) yesterday expelled the actor-turned-politician from the party.