Father of casting couch victim seeks withdrawal of case

The casting couch case allegedly involving expelled BJD leader and comedian Tatwa Prakash Satapathy and a minor girl took a new turn today when the father of the victim moved the court today seeking withdrawal from the legal battle, saying the matter has been "amicably settled between both the parties."
"..The matter is an year-old allegation. So, there is no interest from our side to protest the case further. The matter has already been amicably settled between both parties. Hence, I, along with my family members, do not want to proceed in this case further," the father said in a compromise petition filed in the court of the District and Sessions Judge, Khurda.

The father also urged the court to consider the bail application of the accused as the case had been amicably settled between two parties.
The Public Prosecutor, on the other hand, stated that the father of the victim has no locus standi to file such an affidavit in the case.
Meanwhile, the Khurda District and Sessions Court today deferred the hearing on the bail plea of Satapathy, who was arrested on the charge of sexually abusing a minor girl, till July 11 due to non-submission of the case diary by the Commissionerate Police.
The city police sought seven days' time to submit the case diary in the court following which the hearing had to be deferred. Satapathy was arrested on June 30 on the charge of sexually abusing the minor girl.

The Commissionerate Police had registered a case against Satapathy under relevant sections of Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.