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Papon clarifies his stand about the controversy and sexual assault

In an official statement &TV says, " As a responsible channel, we are extending complete support to all parties who are impacted by this incident and will stand by them to help them through this situation.”

Papon clarifies his stand about the controversy and sexual assault
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Mumbai Live had previously reported about a complaint being filed against singer Papon, judge of AndTV’s Voice India Kids for allegedly kissing a minor girl, one of the contestants in the show.

In a Facebook LIVE video which was featured on Papon’s official page where he was seen playing Holi with his team. In the video, the singer was seen kissing the minor girl in the video. After watching the video, Lawyer Runa Bhuyan lodged a complaint against Papon to condemn his actions.

The channel AndTV has released an official statement on the issue which says, “We as a channel have always been focused on the safety, security, and well-being of the contestants participating in our shows. We have always adhered to the NCPCR guidelines and our production house, Essel Vision Productions Limited has taken all precautionary measures required under NCPCR and other laws. We believe in nurturing talent with utmost sensitivity and care while we provide them the platform to showcase their aptitude. As a responsible channel, we are extending complete support to all parties who are impacted by this incident and will stand by them to help them through this situation.”

Furthermore, defending the mentor contestant’s father has also issued a statement which reads, “Papon sir is a mentor and a father figure to my daughter and has always encouraged her to pursue her dreams. He doesn’t differentiate amongst the children who are here and gives them equal guidance on pursuing their dreams. 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.”

Singer Papon took his twitter profile and gave his clarification by posting " 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. 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 about. To show affection for an 11-year-old child who I have been mentoring for a while now is not an alien concept for me. Please do reme1nber that it a video on my own Facebook live and stop for a moment and at least wonder why I would myself promote a video where l am 'apparently' doing all the unmentionable things that I am being accused of.My humble request to everyone, when you do come across this 1matter is to just pause and think about how much harm this does to the people involved. I have a loving wife of over 14 years and two young children. There is a little girl involved, whose identity is not masked in any way. Both of our families are being destroyed forever, just by people jumping to conclusions.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. Please do accuse me of being naive and stupid even but please do not call me all those disgusting names.

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 ca1nera angles and an accidental move and not a sexual assault as being reported. The said incident transpired in the presence of personnel from the reality show and there is nothing objectionable about it. I admit that I am an extremely affable person and am very convivial with my fan community but please bear in mind that I have been happily married for over 14 years with two children and I would do nothing to cause harm to them. I hold the girl in high regards not only as a lady but also as a contestant on the reality show I am part of. If I had anything to be culpable of, the said video would have been deleted from any social media. As an accountable civilian, the safety and respect of women are of grave importance to me and one would never commit an act that is inappropriate or discourteous in any form. Please know that my intentions with everything that I do in life are always pure and honest and I would never commit an indecent act as it is being portrayed. I urge the members of the press and my fans to please consider both sides of the story before 1maligning my public repertoire and damaging the reputation of this girl. My family stands by me in this tough time where I feel I am victimized for no fault of mine.

  

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