Renowned Punjabi Pop singer Daler Mehendi was convicted in a 2003 human trafficking case by a court in Patiala on Friday.He was sentenced to two years in jail and was later granted bail.The singer was reported saying “I have been granted bail.We will appeal in higher court‚Äù
THE ALLEGATION
As reported by Hindustan Times,the complainants,which were around 35 in number had alleged that Daler Mehendi along with his brother Shamsher Mehendi had taken ‘passage money’ from them to help them migrate to the US illegally,but had failed to do so.
Patiala Police had even raided the offices of Daler Mehndi at Connaught Place in New Delhi and seized documents,including the case file of those who had paid the alleged “passage money” to Mehndi brothers.
In¬†2006,Patiala Police filed two discharge petitions stating Daler Mehndi to be innocent,but the court had upheld that the singer be prosecuted as there was “sufficient evidence against him on the judicial file and scope for further investigation”,NDTV reported.
It was also alleged that Mehndi brothers had taken two troupes in 1998 and 1999 during which 10 people were taken to the US as group members and were “dropped off” illegally.
Meanwhile,the singer’s twitter handle says,”This¬†saddens me but I have complete faith in God that truth will come out soon. We will approach the session‚Äôs court for justice. I would like to thank all my loved ones all across the world for their support, love and good wishes.”
