"The court had issued summon to four witnesses. As none of the witnesses has turned up, hearing of the trial has been adjourned to some other date. Summon was issued to the victim and her family members. However, their home address was changed as they changed their rented house," a lawyer said.
Four persons including the minor girl, her parents and the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) member Nirupama Ratha who had brought the allegations against the actor were directed to appear before the court for the hearing.
Popular comedian Tatwa Prakash Satpathy alias Papu Pompom is accused of exploiting a minor girl on pretext of giving her a break. The girl had levelled allegation against the actor in June last year.
Papu was charged under different sections of IPC and POCSO act. He was arrested from Puri on the basis of a complaint filed by Friends’ Association, a voluntary organisation, on June 30 last year.
The duo had moved the HC on July 27, after the district and sessions court in Bhubaneswar rejected their bail petition.
The commissionerate police had arrested Papu and Swain from an apartment in Puri on June 30 and produced them before the residential court of the Khurda District and Sessions Judge.
The court had rejected their bail petitions after which they were lodged in the Jharpada Special Jail.
The minor girl's father had later filed a petition in the district court pleading for bail to be given to Papu saying they had entered into a 'compromise'. But the court did not accept his plea.