Palash Muchhal files ₹10 crore defamation suit against Marathi actor Vidnyan Mane for 'false' cheating, fraud accusation

Marathi actor-producer Vidnyan Mane accused Palash Muchhal of of a ₹40 lakh fraud and cheating Smriti Mandhana.

Updated on: Jan 24, 2026 10:22 PM IST

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Music composer and singer Palash Muchhal, who was recently in the news after his wedding with batter Smriti Mandhana was called off, found himself in soup again. Marathi actor and producer Vidnyan Mane alleged that he was cheated by Palash of ₹40 lakh and also accused of being unfaithful to Smriti. Palash has now taken the legal route to respond to these allegations. He has filed a ₹10 crore defamation case against him for making ‘false’ and ‘outrageous’ accusations. (Also read: Palash Muchhal reacts to ₹40 lakh fraud allegations, says it has been made with malicious intent, to take legal action)

Palash Muchhal has alleged that the accusations were made with 'deliberate intent' to malign his reputation.

Palash files defamation notice

Palash took to his Instagram account on Saturday evening to share, “A legal notice of defamation of ₹10 crore has been sent by my lawyer Shreyansh Mithare to Sangli based Vidnyan Mane for his false, outrageous and highly defamatory accusations made with the deliberate intent to malign my reputation and character.”

All about the allegations

A few days ago it was reported, as per news agency PTI, 34-year-old actor and producer Vidnyan Mane approached police in Maharashtra's Sangli district alleging that he was cheated by Palash of ₹40 lakh. No First Information Report has been registered in the case so far.

As per the complaint, Palash met Mane in Sangli on December 5, 2023. As Mane showed interest in investing in film production, Muchhal said he could invest in his upcoming project 'Nazaria' as a producer, he claimed. After the film was released on OTT platforms, Mane can earn a profit of ₹12 lakh on an investment of ₹25 lakh, Muchhal told him, and also offered him a role in the film, the complaint alleged. The two met twice after that, and Mane allegedly gave a total of ₹40 lakh to Muchhal as of March 2025. The project, however, did not get completed, so Mane demanded his money back but allegedly got no response. He then approached Sangli police. He also accused Palash of cheating on Smriti before their marriage.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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