Harassment Case: Odisha Police Likely To Arrest Singer Sourin Bhatt Soon

Cuttack: A day after the Orissa High Court rejected playback singer Sourin Bhatt’s anticipatory bail plea in a sexual harassment case, the Commissionerate Police on Thursday said that the process to arrest him has begun.

Cuttack Zone II ACP Amitabh Mohapatra told the media that they will try to arrest him since the interim protection granted to the singer has been vacated. “After having a discussion with the DCP and getting information about his whereabouts, a team will leave to arrest him,” he said.

He said that they would focus on Kolkata and Mumbai, where he is staying. “We had once visited his Kolkata residence. Once we gather information about him, a team will be sent to arrest him,” he added.

A case was registered against Bhatt on the basis of a complaint lodged by a woman, a resident of Cuttack city who works in a private bank, at Mahila police station here on June 12, accusing him of false promises of marriage, cheating, torture and exploitation. She also accused the vocalist of having taken Rs 10 lakh from her.

On June 26, the singer filed the anticipatory bail petition in the HC fearing arrest. The court initially granted him interim protection but later rejected his plea. “This court does not find the case to be fit for grant of pre-arrest bail. Keeping in view the nature of allegations as emerged from the materials on record, the circumstances appearing, the seriousness and gravity of the offences, this court is not inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner. The prayer for bail accordingly stands rejected,” the order read.

The HC also directed him to cooperate in the police investigation whenever required.