Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jun 30:

With talks doing the rounds about Tattwa Prakash Satapathy alias Papu Pom Pom’s arrest being stage-managed, Twin City Police Commissioner today said that the arrest was necessitated as the accused was non-cooperative and they feared that he might abscond to farther region.

Y B Khurania

Twin City Police Commissioner YB Khurania said that the arrest isn’t a result of demonstrations by political outfits. Rather, police took appropriate steps as the case was pertaining to a minor.

“The Friends Foundation Trust had filed a complaint with the Mahila Police station on June 25 evening. As the case was related to a minor, the district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) was asked to intervene into the matter on the following day. The same day, a CWC member and Mahila Police official located the victim where her statement was recorded. Following the report of the CWC member, a case was registered under Sec 354 (A), 506, 509, 34 of IPC r/w Sec 8, 12 of POCSO Act, 2012. Based on this, investigation had begun. On June 28, the statement of the victim was recorded at the JMFC court and the accused were served notices. When the accused avoid notices and we came to know that they are not going to cooperate with police, we decided to arrest them for which a special squad was formed. The special squad arrested the duo this morning from Nandighosh Apartment in Puri,” Twin City Commissioner YB Khurania informed at a press conference held here.

“The two accused will be produced before a local court here this evening. We had taken the matter seriously given the sensitivity of the case. We have initiated steps in accordance with the law,” Khurania added.

Police had information that the accused had already left Bhubaneswar and were planning to abscond to still farther areas. We had no other option but to arrest them. This is as per law, he briefed.

It may be mentioned here that the actor and his associate Pradipta Swain alias Gitu were arrested from an apartment in Puri belonging to the latter.

Earlier in the day, BJP Mahila Morcha members staged a demonstration in front of the Mahila Police station here demanding arrest of the actor and his associate within 48 hours. Following this, Additional DCP BN Dandapat said that the accused will be held within 48 hours or earlier fanning rumours of the act being manoeuvred.