Daler Mehndi appears in Patiala court
Famous bhangra-pop singer Daler Mehndi Wednesday appeared before a local court here in an immigration fraud case, as it had recently rejected a plea by the Punjab Police to discharge him in the case.
Making him an accused, judicial magistrate first class Rajwinder Singh asked the prosecution to supply a copy of the challan to Mehndi. The case will now be eard Oct 30.
The Punjab Police had earlier this year moved two petitions before the court saying that Mehndi was not required in the case as he had nothing to do with the immigration fraud (called kabootarbaazi - meaning flying pigeons referring to numerous youth in Punjab trying to use illegal means to settle abroad).
The Patiala court Aug 30 had sent fresh summons to Mehndi asking him to appear before it Oct 11 in the case. The court rejected the discharge petition of the police.
Mehndi had been arrested by the Patiala Police Oct 2003 along with his brother Shamsher Mehndi after one Bakshish Singh filed a complaint that he was duped of a huge sum of money by the Mehndi brothers, who had promised to take him abroad as part of their musical group and to leave him in some western country to settle there.
Police officials, after investigations, had stated that singers and other performers had got into a well-organised racket to illegally export youth out of Punjab to western countries by making them part of musical troupes. The youth were charged up to Rs.2 million in each case.
But after the police started the proceedings that Mehndi had nothing to do with the immigration fraud case, the complainant moved court again objecting to the singer being discharged. He said that both Mehndi brothers had duped him.
Talking to reporters outside the court, Mehndi said the case against him was false and motivated. He alleged that there could be some political conspiracy behind it though he did not name anyone.
“I am innocent and will come out clean,” he said.
The arrest of Mehndi in this case was quite controversial at a police station here Oct 2003 as he was asked to strip by a few junior police officers during interrogation. Mehndi spent a few days behind lock-up before being released on bail.
His younger brother, singer Mika, who accompanied him during the surrender in 2003, had to beat a hasty retreat near the police station when an “organised” angry mob surrounded their vehicles.
— IANS
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