Cuttack, Aug 7: Popular playback singer Sourin Bhatt has been asked to depose before Mahila Police on August 14 for questioning in the alleged sexual harassment case.
The Orissa High Court has given an interim relief to the playback singer till August 25 and ordered him to cooperate with the investigators of the Mahila Police Station, who have been assigned to probe the allegations filed against him.
Worth mentioning that to avoid arrest, Bhatt had pleaded before the Orissa HC and applied for anticipatory bail. In his pleadings for bail, Bhatt had alleged that the allegations levelled against him were totally baseless and were filed with ulterior motifs.
Sources further stated that the statement of the victim, a bank staff was earlier recorded by the Magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC. The victim had filed an FIR at Jagatpur Police Station. But the case was later referred to Mahila Police Station, sources added.
The victim had accused Bhatt of exploiting her both physically and mentally with a promise to marry her. In the FIR, the victim had also stated that she and Bhatt were in a relationship for years. She further alleged that Bhatt had assured to give her a break as a playback singer and had taken Rs 10 lakh. But neither he married her, nor gave her any break as a singer. Even her pleadings to return the amount were paid a deaf ear by Bhatt, sources added.
Sources further stated that acting on the FIR filed, a team of Commissionerate Police officials had gone to Kolkata on June 21 to contact and quiz Bhatt in connection with the case. But the cops failed to trace him and had to return empty-handed.
