Missing Odia Singer Sourin Bhatt Faces Arrest In Sexual Harassment Case

A court in Odisha has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against missing Odia singer Sourin Bhatt in connection with a sexual harassment case, police said on Friday.

Based on a complaint lodged by a woman, a case was registered against Sourin at Mahila police station in Cuttack in June. The woman accused him of false promise of marriage, cheating, torture and exploitation, police added.

During the investigation, police conducted raids at various places to arrest the singer. He, however, has managed to remain at large, said Anil Mishra, additional DCP, Cuttack.

"Our investigating officer (IO) then requested the court to issue a NBW against Sourin. The court of sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM), Cuttack, accepted our request and issued the NBW," Mr Mishra said.

Now, police will take legal action to declare him a proclaimed offender and attach his properties, he added.

A team of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Commissionerate Police had visited Sourin's house in Kolkata on June 22. However, it had to return empty-handed as the singer was not there.

The singer then moved the high court seeking anticipatory bail in this case, but the court rejected his plea. This was followed by police issuing a look-out circular against the singer in September. 

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