Daler: Reprieve

Chandigarh, Jan. 31: Patiala police today moved an application in a local court under Section 169 of the Criminal Procedure Code asking for Daler Mehndi to be discharged as there was “deficiency in evidence” against the bhangra pop singer in a human trafficking case.

“We have decided to drop charges of human trafficking as we have not found any evidence against Daler Mehndi,” a senior police officer said over telephone. “The defence counsel, however, told the court that his client should be heard before Daler is discharged from the case. The court has fixed February 3 for further hearing in the case.”

Patiala police had registered a case in October last year against Daler, his brother Shamsher, and three others after Bakshish Singh, a resident of Belwara village in the district, complained he had been cheated by the brothers who had promised to take him abroad in their cultural troupe.

Singh alleged he had paid Rs 13 lakh out of the Rs 15 lakh demanded by them. Police said they had received complaints against Daler and Shamsher from nearly 30 others.

Human trafficking has become a Rs 1,000-crore industry in Punjab with many people taking the help of dance troupes, singers and clubs who arrange cultural and sporting events abroad.

Once these people make it to the country of their choice, usually somewhere in Europe, they drop out of sight and stay on as illegal immigrants.

When Daler appeared in a Patiala police station on October 27 after getting interim bail from Delhi High Court, hundreds of people pelted his car with eggs and stones as he made his way there.

The crowd had allegedly been gathered by some senior police personnel angered by Daler’s allegation that Patiala police had demanded Rs 1.5 crore to clear his name in the case. Senior superintendent of police Paramraj Singh Umranangal was transferred following a probe, and his successor, A.S. Rai, promised a case “relook”.

Daler was allegedly made to strip and sing during interrogation the following day; he disappeared soon after. His wife was dragged into the case, with his Delhi and Mumbai offices being searched and documents seized.