Monday, August 29 2005 09:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Amritsar: Famous playback singer Anuradha Paudwal has been declared Proclaimed Offender by a local court here after she failed to appear before it in connection with an eight-year old copyrights violation case.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Harpreet Kaur declared Paudwal PO on August 27 evening when she failed to appear before the court inspite of numerous chances given to her for alleged violation of the copyrights Act.

Earlier the same court had issued non-bail-able warrants against the singer but she did not turn up. The case was filed against Paudwal in 1996 by Brij Mohan Bhardwaj, a resident of Amritsar, for allegedly singing religious hymns from two books -- Durga Stuti and Shiv Vivah -- authored by his father Chaman Lal Bhardwaj without following the necessary formalities.

Noted singer Narinder Chanchal was also involved in the same case, but he was granted bail by the court

Tips Cassette Company and Times music company are also respondents in the case filed by Bhardwaj.