Sexual slur: Poet files case against noted writer

Bhawanipatna (Odisha): Pallishree Patnaik, a lecturer in a government college and a poet, has lodged a defamation case against noted litterateur Haraprasad Das for allegedly harassing her on social media, reports said on Thursday.

The Kalahandi-based poet on Wednesday filed the defamation suit at the court of civil judge senior division, Bhawanipatna seeking Rs 50 lakh in damages. Sources said her statement was also recorded under Section 161 and 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

Earlier this month, Pallishree had lodged a complaint at the Bhawanipatana town police station seeking stringent action against Das. In her complaint, she alleged that Das had first befriended her on social media platform Facebook and then started sending obscene messages and sought sexual favours on the pretext of boosting her literary career.

Earlier this month, the acclaimed litterateur had lodged a criminal defamation suit against eight persons, including Patnaik, at Bhubaneswar ADJM court and a civil defamation case at the court of civil judge senior division.