Daler Mehndi jailed for 2003 case of human trafficking

New Delhi, July 15

The Patiala District Court dismissed the appeal of Punjab singer Daler Mehndi's appeal against a two-year prison term in a 2003 case of human trafficking for taking people abroad by showing them as troupe members and he was sent to jail.

Mehndi was sentenced in 2018 and was out on bail so far.

As per the case details, Daler Mehndi and his brother Shamsher Singh were accused of collecting "passage money" to take people abroad, mainly to the US and Canada, via the "troupe" route. While they did take some people, there were others who said they took money but did not keep their promise.

The case was registered in September 2003 at Patiala by Bakshish Singh. He said the brothers took two troupes to the US in 1998 and 1999, including 10 people for illegal migration. He had claimed to have paid Rs. 13 lakhs to him.

Mehndi had his brother were charged for human trafficking and conspiracy, and under the Indian Passport Act. After that FIR, 35 other complaints came up too, as per reports.

Shamsher Mehndi died in 2017, when the trial was still on.