New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today (October 31) refused to extend the interim anticipatory bail of Punjabi folk singer Daler Mehndi in an illegal human trafficking case, saying it would not pass any order without hearing the Punjab Police.

Justice S K Agrawal, who had on October 23 granted 10-day interim anticipatory bail to Mehndi, told his counsel R P Bansal and Ravinder Kumar that no ex-parte relief would be given to the petitioner.

Justice Agrawal 'advised' the petitioner to either go to the Punjab and Haryana High Court or approach the Supreme Court for further relief even as he issued notices to the Punjab Police and the Delhi Government seeking their reply by November 3, the next date of hearing.

In his petition, Mehndi sought extension of his interim anticipatory bail for a reasonable period, preferably for two months and handing over the probe against him to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

He also requested the court to issue directions to the authorities for providing police protection to him and his lawyers during the probe and an independent inquiry into October 27 and 28 incidents at Patiala.

Seeking presence of his counsel during interrogation, the singer alleged that he was threatened by the Investigating Officer of the case.

Daler, against whom a Patiala court had issued an Non Bailable Warrant (NBW), appeared before the Patiala Police on October 27 and 28 in connection with the probe into the illegal human trafficking case, following an order of the Delhi High Court. However, he failed to appear for questioning by the Police on October 29 and 30 on health grounds.

PTI