In a statement to the media the singer claimed the said journalist has sent him text messages like 'I miss you' and 'Love you Sonu.'

'When I did not respond to his overtures, he started tarnishing my image in the media!' Sonu exclaimed in his statement.

'I have a close knit family, friends and admirers who feel deeply hurt when this kind of unaccountable bashing is inflicted upon me. I want to be left alone. I am going to have my first baby soon and I want to give him/her all my time and focus in the next few months, keeping myself away from the routine for sometime. Like any other father, I think I deserve this space,' the singer declared.

Sonu said the journalist had earlier praised him for his talent and also loved his acting in his movie debut, Love in Nepal. But later, his admiration turned into anger.

The singer had threatened the journalist with dire consequences.

'Yes, I did threaten him,' Sonu confirmed in his statement. 'He challenged my audacity for not allowing him to interview me. I didn't want to talk to him. I did tell him to stay away from me when he comes to Mumbai. What is my fault in this? I am not obligated to interact with people, who make me feel uncomfortable.'

'I have saved his messages in various phones and I thank God that I did not delete them,' he said.

When rediff.com contacted the journalist, he was unavailable for comment over the telephone, but we tracked him down on an online messenger.

The journalist said Sonu's allegations were untrue, and that he is in consultation with his lawyers.