India singer Papon apologizes for kissing reality show's contestant
Girl's father said that Papon is a mentor and a father-figure to his daughter.
MUMBAI (Web Desk) – Singer-composer Angarag Papon Mahanta or Papon was captured on a facebook live streaming, kissing a minor girl while celebrating Holi with the contestants of the reality show ‘The Voice India Kids’.
Video that went viral on social media showed that Papon held a minor girl, touched her face and planted a kiss.
According to Indian media, Supreme Court (SC) lawyer Runa Bhuyan lodged a complaint with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights against Papon under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act, stating that he has "committed sexual assault".
Afterward, Papon, who is a jury member of the show, apologized by saying “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 whom I have been mentoring for a while now is not an alien concept for me," he added.
Meanwhile, girl’s father said that Papon is a mentor and a father-figure to his daughter.
