PAPON REMOVED FROM REALITY SHOW AS JUDGE AMID ALLEGATIONS OF KISSING A MINOR

Guwahati, February 25, 2019:

Amid allegations of kissing a minor on the sets of a TV reality show, singer Angarag Papon Mahanta has been removed as the judge of the reality show The Voice India Kids.

Media baron and owner of Zee TV Subhash Chandra tweeted “the majority of the child abuse cases go unreported as the child fails to understand between good and bad touch. The authorities are the best to decide in this case. I appreciate the petitioner for being vigilant and all the media houses who have been reporting about the story. When the parents send their children to participating in reality shows, they bestow trust upon us, which we must never break. We are duty bound to treat every kid as ours and provide them safety and security".

Papon incident is unfortunate and shall be unequivocally condemned. Papon’s already recorded shows have also been edited and he has been removed from the shows which will go on air today onwards. On the incidence of Papon, I have advised CMD of the company to take stringent action not only against him but others involved. Papon is barred forever from our group”.

It may be mentioned that Papon, has been embroiled in controversy ever since a video of him kissing an underage girl went viral. After the video, which was a part of a Facebook live, Papon was issued a notice by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Earlier, Papon had defended himself in a long Facebook post where he said that he was showing affection for an 11-year-old child he is mentoring and what he did is not an alien concept for him. The singer apologized for his behavior but reiterated that there was no wrong intention behind any of his actions. An FIR has also been registered against Papon in Dispur Police Station in Guwahati.