New Delhi: Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi, accused in a human trafficking case, today (Dec 11, 2003) sought anticipatory bail from the Supreme Court, while requesting for handing over of the probe into the case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleging that Punjab police has framed him for his refusal to pay Rs 1.5 crore to them.

When his special leave petition challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court order refusing bail to him was mentioned by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, a Bench comprising Justice R C Lahoti, Justice B N Srikrishna and Justice G P Mathur directed its listing for hearing on Monday (Dec 15, 2003).

The high court had dismissed Mehndi's anticipatory bail plea, but had taken serious note of his counsel's allegations that his client was asked to take off his clothes by police during his interrogation at Patiala on October 27 and his car was smashed by a mob assisted by police and had sought a report from the police in this regard.

The anticipatory bail pleas of the beleaguered Indi-pop singer have already been dismissed by the Delhi High Court and a Patiala court.

In his petition before the Supreme Court, Mehndi alleged that the investigation team of the Punjab police had demanded Rs 1.5 crore from him and on his refusal to pay the money, it had framed him in the human trafficking case.

He alleged that under the pretext of investigation, police had called him to the station and made him sing songs in his "underwear" and requested the court to transfer the investigation into the case to CBI.

PTI