Patiala, Nov 17: After failing to track down Daler Mehndi, Punjab Police today initiated proceedings to declare the singer and nine others proclaimed offenders in an alleged illegal human trafficking case even as a court here extended non bailable warrants against him till December 19. Police moved an application in the court of Chief Judicial P S Dhanoa to declare Daler and nine others as proclaimed offendor (PO).

Besides Daler, others against whom proclamation proceedings began include, Daler's wife Daljeet Kaur, his sister-in-law Balwinder Kaur (brother Shamsher's wife), bulbul Mehta, Praveen Kumar, Tejinder Singh alias Laddi, Dyan Singh alias Harchand Singh, Surinder Singh, Gurdial Mama and Rakesh Kaushal alias Rockey. The beleagured singer had failed to get any reprieve from courts here, at Delhi and in Chandigarh as his anticipatory bail pleas were rejected.

The case against Daler was registered by Patiala Police on a complaint by one Bakshish Singh who alleged that he was not take abroad as part of the singer's troupe even though he had paid Rs 12 lakh for it.

Daler's brother Shamsher, who is currently in judicial custody, Tejinder Singh, Harchand Singh and Surinder Singh were also accused in the case. Meanwhile, Punjab Police continued its hunt for the singer at his possible hideouts in several parts of the country, police sources said here.

Bureau Report