Bhubaneswar: Happy over his acquittal by a special POCSO court in the six-year-old sensational casting couch case, Odia actor-comedian Tatwa Prakash Satpathy, popularly known as Papu Pom Pom, on Tuesday, said the verdict marked the victory of truth and proved his innocence.
Maintaining that he had to spend 43 days behind the bars for no fault of his, Papu claimed that he was framed and faced fictitious allegations as part of attempts to tarnish his image. “However, now I have come out clean. There was a little confusion among some people after baseless charges were levelled against me six years ago. But now they have realized that I have all along been innocent,” he told a local channel.
Claiming that he was targeted due to pressure from some quarters, the actor said though a seven-day notice was issued after filing of the FIR, he was arrested the very next day. He further claimed that police too appeared to have been under pressure in the case.
Papu lamented that media hype was created over the case, which triggered a public outcry and said the whole episode failed to dent his career. “I was projected as an exploiter even compared with dubious and notorious elements,” he rued.
“The case however never made any difference to my career. In fact I am in a better position now than what I was six years ago,” he said, adding that it took six long years for him to get a clean chit in the case because of the existing system. His aide Gittu has also been acquitted in the case, he added.
Pappu was arrested in 2016 after a minor girl lodged a complaint accusing him of making sexual advances promising to provide her with a break in Ollywood. He was charged under different sections of IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act.
Claiming that the minor girl had later made it clear that she had not lodged any FIR against him, Pappu said the entire episode was part of a ploy by some people who sought to defame him. “Success in any sphere creates enemies,” he said.
The actor denied having manipulated the girl to change her mind and claimed that money did not play any role at all.
Stating that the minor girl was known to her, Papu said though she showed interest in acting, he advised her to concentrate on her studies.
