Casting couch: Case registered against Papu Pom Pom, aide

Bhubaneswar: In the first instance of its kind in the state, Mahila Police here registered a case of sexual assault on a minor girl against popular comic actor Papu Pom Pom and his close associate Pradip Swain on Monday.

The FIR was lodged on the basis of the complaint filed by Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Nirupama Rath, Police commissioner YB Khurania said this evening.

Pappu Pom Pom has been charged under various under sections 354 (A), 506 & 509 of IPC and the POCSO Act, the commisssioner said.

The police action followed after the CWC directed the Mahila Police earlier in the day to register a case against the actor for allegedly exploiting the minor girl physically on the pretext of giving her a break in Odia films.

The CWC had also directed the police to record the statement of the victim under Section 164 of CrPC.

Anticipating trouble for the victim, the committee has asked Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhoi to provide security to the victim and her family.

Sources said in its preliminary investigation, the CWC had found prima facie evidence that there is truth in the charges levelled against Pappu aka Tatwa Prakash Satpathy.

On Saturday, a non government organisation — Friends Foundation Trust— had filed a complaint on behalf of the victim with the Mahila Police station accusing the actor of sexually exploiting and intimidating the minor girl after promising to get her roles in movies.

Apart from Papu, his aide Pradeep Swain was also named in the complaint.