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Court hands over Daler to Punjab police

Last updated on: December 20, 2003 16:26 IST

A Delhi court on Saturday remanded pop singer Daler Mehndi to 'one-day transit remand' and directed Punjab police to produce him in the Patiala court on Sunday.

Daler was produced amidst tight security before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Reena Singh Nag, who allowed the Punjab police request to take him in their custody.

The court rejected the bail application of Daler. The entire proceedings were held in the chamber of CMM and the media was not allowed in.

While moving his bail application, Daler's counsel D S Garg had submitted that Delhi police had no locus standi to arrest the singer.

However, Additional Advocate General of Punjab Atul Nanda and Delhi police counsel contended that the accused had committed cognizable offence and no warrant was required from the magistrate for his arrest as it was issued by the concerned court in Punjab.

The Delhi police arrested the singer on Friday just hours after Mehndi had told the Supreme Court that he would be surrendering to the Patiala court on January 8.

The Punjab police wants the singer in a human trafficking case.

On Friday a Supreme Court bench comprising Justice D Raju and Justice Arijit Pasayat had directed the police to provide adequate protection to the singer. His bail petition was posted for hearing on January 16, 2004.

Ehtasham Khan in Delhi