60% votes polled in Assam till 3 pm
The Dibrugarh constituency, from where Union Minister Sarbanada Sonowl is contesting, recorded a voter turnout of 60 per cent, according to the Election Commission India (ECI) data.
Bollywood singer Papon, who is in the eye of a storm for forcibly a kiss on a minor, on Saturday decided to step down as a judge in &TV’s Voice of India-Kids music reality-show.
Papon took to Twitter saying that he is removing himself from the post till the matter is resolved, while adding that he has been “falsely implicated” in the case.
“I have full faith in the judicial system and eventually the truth will prevail. In the interim, I would appreciate that my privacy is respected,” he added.
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— papon angaraag (@paponmusic) February 24, 2018
In the video, the singer from Assam Angarag Mahanta — popularly known as Papon– can be seen smearing colour on the face of the girl and then kissing her inappropriately.
Earlier, a complaint had been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) against the singer by a Supreme Court lawyer, accusing him of sexually assaulting the minor girl.
Lawyer Runa Bhuyan filed the complaint against Papon with National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
Papon has since been booked under POCSO Act. This incident happened during an event to celebrate Holi with the reality show contestants and the victim was a girl Papon was mentoring.
On Friday, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) issued notice to both the singer and the channel.
Papon’s defence
Earlier on Friday, Papon took to Twitter and shared a letter, where he wrote, “I am very painfully conscious of the accusations that have been made against me in the last few days. Anyone who knows me would be aware that I am an extremely affectionate and expressive person. That is the way I have been brought up and that’s how I have always been with people close to me or people I care about. To show affection for an 11-year-old child who I have been mentoring for a while now is not an alien concept for me.”
Also read | Papon breaks his silence on sexual assault accusation
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