Comedy King Papu Pom Pom Receives Election Fund From ‘Rout’!

BHUBANESWAR: While the actors turned BJD politicians are in the line of fire for their alleged association with Oscar chit fund company chairperson Prabhash Rout, an investigation found that Papu Pom Pom had received election fund from some Rout.

According to the affidavits of Papu (Tattwa Prakash Satapathy) submitted before the Election Commission, he had received the donation of Rs 1.44 lakh from some Rout. However, it is not yet identified who that Rout is (A copy of the affidavit is in possession with Update Odisha).

Notably, Papu Pom Pom had contested unsuccessfully on BJD ticket from Champua Assembly constituency in Keonjhar district.

Papu had received a total of Rs 5.02 lakh as donations from several persons, while he had received Rs 1.44 lakh from Rout. He has not mentioned complete names of the individuals in the affidavit.

When contacted, Papu said, “He is not that Prabhas Rout, who has been arrested in Oscar chit fund scam. But, I am also not sure who is that Rout, who has donated me during elections. I will clarify the issue later.”

“Since I am in Berhampur to attend a function, I can’t speak more,” he told Update Odisha.

Papu had acted in several films produced by Prabhash Rout, who was arrested by Crime Branch on Thursday from New Delhi.

Rout, who allegedly duped about Rs 230 crore from people, has produced four Odia films including Balunga Toka, Rangila Toka, and Gote Sua Gote Sari.

Speaking to media persons, Papu had on Saturday said, “How would I know that a company has cheated to people? I acted in his films when there was no allegation against the Oscar corporation. We are getting blamed since we are in the front row…we are the faces that people recognise.”

Several actors turned BJD leaders including Siddhant Mahapatra, Anubhav Mohanty, and Akash Das Nayak had either acted in the film produced by Rout or attended programmes organised by him.