A Patiala court on Thursday rejected the plea filed by popular singer Daler Mehndi against his two-year sentencing in a human trafficking case registered against him in 2003. According to reports, Mehndi was arrested and sent to jail soon after the verdict was announed by the court. The verdict was announced by Additional Sessions Judge HS Grewal.
Daler Mehndi and his now deceased brother Shamsher Singh had been accused of illegally sending people abroad disguised as members of his group by charging huge "passage money".
While speaking to reporters outside the Patiala court, the Complainant's lawyer Gurmeet Singh said that Mehndi was sentenced to two years of imprisonment in a human trafficking case of 2003. He also added that the singer has been taken into custody by Punjab Police and his application for release on probation also dismissed by court.
The Patiala court verdict came almost 4 years after a court of Judicial Magistrate First Class had held both Daler Mehndi and Shamsher Singh guilty and had sentenced them to two years in jail. The two accused, however, managed to get a bail and even filed an appeal in the sessions court.
Mehndi was convicted under sections 406, 420, 120B, 465, 468, 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Indian Passport Act.
As per the FIR filed in Sadar Police Station in 2003, Mehndi along with his brother allegedly took two troupes in 1998 and 1999 to the United States as group members illegally and even charged hefty amount.
During the investigation, Police collected several evidences, including documents, against Mehndi after they raided his Delhi-based office.