PATIALA: The court of Judicial Magistrate First Class
Nidhi Saini today convicted pop singer
Daler Mehndi in the decade-old
Kabootar Bazi case in which he along with his brother
Shamsher Mehndi had been facing charges for illegally dropping off members of their troupe on foreign land by taking "passage money" from them.
Case has been registered against Daler Mehndi and his brother Shamsher mehndi and two of their associates
Bulbul Mehta and Dyan Singh in 2003 after a local resident Bakshish Singh alleged that the two brothers had taken money from him to drop him off in USA but had later retracted from the commitment and even refuse to return his money. Later, more than 35 complainants had appeared who had levels similar allegations against the Mehndi brothers.
While pronouncing the verdict the court awarded 2 years jail to Daler Mehndi and imposed a fine of Rs 2000 on him. While another accused Bulbul Mehta was acquitted of all the charges. Accused Shamsher Mehndi and Dyan Singh expired during the course of trial.
Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi and his brother Shamsher Mehndi had landed in trouble for allegedly dropping off members of their troupe on foreign lands. In the case which became famous as a case of “khabootarbazi’, Daler and his brother,
Shamsher Singh, had been accused of illegally sending people abroad disguised as members of thier troupe by charging hefty "passage money."
The complaints had alleged that two brothers had taken "passage money" from them to help them migrate to the US "illegally", but failed to do so.
Patiala Police had 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".
Daler Mehndi has been granted bail by the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class to file appeal in the sessions court.
