Odia singer Debesh Pati arrested over rape, cheating charges

Bhubaneswar, November 3

Popular Odia singer Debesh Pati has been arrested for allegedly engaging in a physical relationship with a woman on the pretext of marriage and later abandoning her, a police official said on Friday.

“On the basis of the order of a local court, we have registered a case under different sections of the IPC, including rape and cheating, and under the IT Act. He was arrested on Thursday evening and sent to the court,” said Satyaranjan Pradhan, inspector in-charge of Nayapalli police station.

He said that in her complaint, the woman alleged that Pati had repeatedly engaged in a physical relationship with her on the pretext of marriage, and impregnated her. She alleged that the singer forced her to terminate her pregnancy and threatened to release photographs of their intimate moments on social media when she insisted on marriage, the officer said.

She also alleged that Pati had taken around Rs 5 lakh from the complainant, and was having a relationship with another woman, he added.