PATIALA: Singer Daler Mehendi is convicted in a human trafficking case by Patiala court, and sentenced to two years in jail. The singer was taken into custody by the Punjab police soon after the conviction, but was soon granted bail. Following a complaint filed by one Bakshish Singh of Balbehra village in Punjab in 2003, a case was registered by the Patiala police against Mehndi, his brother Shamsher and some of his associates.
Singh had alleged that he had been duped by the Mehndi brothers who received millions of rupees from him on the pretext of sending him abroad as a member of Daler's troupe. Shamsher died in October 2017 after suffering from jaundice. He was a part of Daler Mehndi's troupe and performed at several stage shows. After the case was registered, several others also came forward with similar complaints against both the brothers. The court had earlier had dismissed petitions filed by the police in favour of the singer and ordered the police to file a fresh challan against Mehndi.
The first discharge petition was filed in February 2006 stating that Mehndi should be discharged of all the charges as he had been found to be innocent in the case. The petition was rejected by the court which had then upheld that there was sufficient evidence on the judicial file against Mehndi and the police should prosecute the case.
