Bhubaneswar, July 4: The father of a minor, who was allegedly sexually harassed by Odia comedian Pappu Pom Pom aka Tatwa Prakash Satpathy, today submitted an affidavit with the Khurda district and sessions court seeking withdrawal of the case.

However, according to sources, the court has yet to accept the petition.

The move came on a day the court posted the hearing of Pappu's bail petition to July 11. His bail plea could not be heard today because police failed to submit the case diary to the court. The actor, who has been accused of promoting casting couch, was arrested from Puri on June 30 with his associate Pradipta Kumar Swain.

The 38-year-old is alleged to have molested the girl, 16, last year to lure her into the film industry.

The cops had lodged a case against him on June 28 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 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.

The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by a member of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Khurda, after it found prima-facie evidence against the actor.

The CWC said it would ascertain whether the victim's father had filed the petition under any pressure. "We had asked the police to provide security to the victim and her family. We recorded her statement in the presence of her mother, who is aware of the incident. We suspect her father is reluctant to pursue the case for fear of social stigma," said CWC member Benudhar Senapati.

The police, however, said the final call rested with the court. "We already recorded the victim's statement and she had also recorded her statement in a court. So, we don't think that her father's affidavit will be considered. However, the court will take the final call," said a police officer.