Bhubaneswar, June 29: Comedian Tatwa Prakash Satpathy aka Pappu Pom Pom, facing charges of sexual harassment by a minor, was today expelled from the BJD.

The 38-year-old actor had fought the last general elections in 2014 unsuccessfully from the Champua Assembly constituency on a BJD ticket. The decision followed public outrage against the actor and demand for his arrest.

The party today announced that BJD president Naveen Patnaik had expelled the actor from the party.

BJD sources said the statewide protests seeking action against the actor had tarnished the party's image. Pappu was one of the star campaigners of the BJD in the last elections.

Police on Monday registered a case against Pappu and his associate Pradipta Kumar 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 (Pocso) Act.

Pappu has been in the eye of a storm ever since Oscar chairman Pravash Chandra Rout was arrested on June 9. He is alleged to have had close links with Rout and reportedly endorsed the Ponzi firm through a number of stage shows. He had also admitted to have taken a loan from Rout to meet his Rs 2.94 lakh.

Allegations against several actors-turned-politicians of the BJD having links with Rout have caused resentment among party leaders. Most of these stars had campaigned for the party during the last elections.

After the names of these stars had figured, BJD vice-president and excise minister Damodar Rout warned of stringent action if any of them were found guilty. "We had not invited the cine stars and they had applied to join the party after being inspired by other artistes across the country. We have also received them as crowd-pullers. But if allegations levelled against them are found to be true, they would be expelled from the party," the minister had said.

In another development, the police said the actor was likely to be served with a notice asking him to appear before them within two weeks to record his statement.

Sources said the actor had remained untraceable for the past two days. "Two days ago, his mobile phone was last traced on the city outskirts. But since then, it has gone out of reach. We strongly suspect he has sneaked out of the state," said a senior police official.

Yesterday, a police team visited his house at Jagannath Vihar in Khandagiri, but the actor was not present there.