Daler Mehndi granted bail in 2003 human trafficking case; singer pleads innocence, says 'I will appeal in HC'

Popular singer Daler Mehndi has been granted bail after getting convicted by a Patiala court for a 2003 human trafficking case. Both him and his brother Shamsher had been given a jail sentence of two years, as per TV reports. Mehndi finally spoke out about the case to News 18, where he pleaded innocence and said, “I will appeal in HC”. [caption id=“attachment_4393101” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Daler Mehndi. Facebook[/caption] He was charged, along with his brother Shamsher, for sending individuals abroad illegally under the guise of his dancing troupes and charging exorbitant ‘passage fees’ in return. Hours after his conviction, reports surfaced that he has been granted bail by the Patiala court.

#UPDATE - After conviction in a 2003 human trafficking case, #DalerMehndi granted bail by Patiala Court. pic.twitter.com/MEI58uEtdS

— News18 (@CNNnews18) March 16, 2018

As many as 35 charges of fraud were leveled against the two brothers for charging ‘passage fees’ in return of ‘relocation’ to the USA, but failing to do so. It had been alleged that Mehndi brothers had taken two troupes in 1998 and 1999 during the course of which 10 persons were taken to the USA as group members and were “dropped off” illegally. Daler, on a trip to the USA in the company of an actress had allegedly “dropped off” three girls at San Francisco.

 Both brothers took another troupe to the USA in October 1999 in the company of some other actors during which three boys were “dropped off” at New Jersey. In 2006, Patiala Police had 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”. - With inputs from PTI.