LOC issued against playback singer Sourin Bhatt

Bhubaneswar: A Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against Ollywood playback singer Sourin Bhatt by Commissionerate Police Monday. The LOC was issued in connection with a sexual torture case lodged against him by a woman at the Mahila Police Station here.

The police issued the LOC through the Crime Branch after it failed to contact and trace Bhatt despite a visit by a police team to his residence in Kolkata.

“A case of sexual torture was registered against vocalist Sourin Bhatt at the Mahila police station. In the course of our investigation, we recorded the statement of the woman and got a medical examination of her done. In the meantime the Orissa High Court had issued an interim order preventing the police from taking any coercive action against the singer,” informed Cuttack DCP Pinak Mishra.

Mishra said that the police have examined Bhatt, his medical examination has been also done and all other legal formalities have been completed.

“But in the meantime, the High Court has vacated the interim protection it had provided to Bhatt. Then we served notice to Bhatt several times to appear before the Investigating Officer (IO) but he has been avoiding presenting himself and is not cooperating with the IO. A special team had also visited Kolkata and searched for him at his residence but was unable to trace him. We have issued a Look Out Notice/Circular in his name through the Crime Branch, which means he cannot go abroad or leave the country. We are trying to contact him but so far we haven’t been able to contact him. In the next step will issue NBW (non-bailable warrant) in his name,” explained Mishra.