The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Friday issued a notice to both singer Papon and a TV channel after a video emerged of the singer kissing a minor girl, an official said.
“We have seen the video and have gone through the written complaint which came to us from Supreme Court lawyer Runa Bhuyan. We felt this is a provocative case. Necessary legal action will be taken,” the official added.
In a video that went viral on social media, Papon is seen celebrating the Indian festival of Holi with the contestants of the singing reality show The Voice India Kids. The singer, who is also one of the judges on the show, can be seen planting a kiss on the girl’s lips.
“We are following the legal procedure. We will ask for their version as well and accordingly, further action will be taken. We have guidelines on our website which clearly mentions rules for channels using children in their show,” the official stated.
However, the girl’s father said that Papon is a mentor and a father figure to his daughter.
“What you saw in the video is not intentional. It was just a moment of affection that is being portrayed otherwise. I would request and urge the media to not pursue this further,” he added.
Papon has also apologised, saying he had “innocent thoughts”.
“I am very painfully conscious of the accusations that have been made against me in the last few days. Anyone who knows me would be aware that I am an extremely affectionate and expressive person,” Papon said in a statement.
“That is the way I have been brought up and that’s how I have always been with people close to me or people I care for. To show affection for an 11-year-old child whom I have been mentoring for a while now is not an alien concept for me,” he added.
Papon, who has sung for films like Barfi!, Sultan and Dum Laga Ke Haisha, has been married for more than 14 years and has two children.
“There is a little girl involved, whose identity is not masked in any way,” he said, adding: “However, this is not to say that I haven’t made a mistake. I might have done it spontaneously but in today’s environment, to touch a girl child, however innocent your thoughts are, is not advisable. I am sorry for that.”
The singer continued: “Please note that the girl in question and her family have gone on record and stated that what is being depicted is not what actually transpired and it is in fact, just a case of faulty camera angles and an accidental move and not a sexual assault as being reported.”
“If I had anything to be culpable of, the said video would have been deleted from my social media,” he added.
The safety and respect of women is of “grave importance” to him and “I would never commit an act that is inappropriate or discourteous in any form”.
