Bhubaneswar, June 30: Police today arrested comedian Tatwa Prakash Satpathy aka Pappu Pom Pom and his associate, Pradipta Kumar Swain, on charges of promoting casting couch in the Odia film industry and sexually harassing a minor girl.

Pappu, who had contested the last Assembly election unsuccessfully from Champua on a BJD ticket, was expelled from the party yesterday. The 38-year-old actor was arrested from an apartment in Puri.

The arrest came in the wake of protests by Opposition parties and voluntary organisations over the sexual harassment incident that took place in 2014.

Women's organisations and activists of the BJP and the Congress held demonstrations and burnt effigies of the actor.

They had also accused the state government of protecting Pappu as he belonged to the ruling party. Following this uproar, the BJD was forced to expel him yesterday.

Police commissioner Y.B. Khurania said the duo was arrested as they were trying to abscond.

"Though we had served notices to both of them to appear before the police on July 7, we felt that the duo would not co-operate with the investigation process. The police did not find the actor at his residence earlier. Besides, we came to know that Pappu and his associate were planning to abscond. So, a special team was formed, and subsequently, both of them were arrested," said Khurania.

Last night, the police had put up a notice under Section 41 CrPC at the actor's house at Jagannath Vihar.

On Monday, the police registered a case against Pappu and Swain under sections 354-A (sexual harassment) 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult a woman) and 34 (crime done by more than one person) of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

However, the actor went underground after the case was registered.

The police said the actor neither resisted nor showed any remorse while being arrested from the apartment. A special police team brought them to Bhubaneswar from Puri this evening.

The minor victim had alleged that she came in contact with the comedian in early 2014. The actor lured her into the film industry. The victim also alleged that the actor tried to touch her inappropriately in a running car in November 2014.

Child Welfare Committee member Benudhar Senapati said the victim was being counselled as she was traumatised. "We will hold discussion with the police to provide security to the victim and her parents," said Senapati.