Daler Mehndi moves HC seeking passport renewal

Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi has moved Punjab and Haryana high court seeking renewal of his passport.

Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi has moved Punjab and Haryana high court seeking renewal of his passport.

Mehndi had told the court that he has to hold musical concerts abroad. (File photo)

Mehndi had told the court that he has to hold musical concerts abroad. An application has been moved before the Ministry of External Affairs. However, it is yet to act and the passport renewal is due for March 16.

The court observed that application is pending and the MEA has not declined it. It refused to interfere as Mehndi had not arrayed the MEA as party. Hence, his lawyer was given two weeks to make amendments for the same.

It was in September that the high court had suspended the jail term of the Punjabi pop singer , who was in 2018 sentenced to two years in jail in a 2003 human trafficking case. Mehndi was held guilty under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. The trial court had sentenced him to two-year imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹2,000. After the additional district sessions judge dismissed Mehndi’s appeal on July 14, he was taken into custody and remained in Patiala jail for some time. However, later jail term was suspended by the high court.