Who was Shamsher Singh Mehndi?

Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi has been taken into custody in connection with the 2003 human trafficking case. Daler Mehndi and his brother Shamsher Singh Mehndi were booked on a complaint filed by one Bakshish Singh. Shamsher died in 2017 and Daler was sentenced to two years in jail in 2018. On Thursday, a Patiala court dismissed his appeal against his two-year jail term.

Also Read: Daler Mehndi sentenced for human trafficking: All controversies of the Punjabi singer

Who was Shamsher Singh Mehndi?

Shamsher Singh Mehndi was a renowned singer-songwriter and the elder brother of popular singers Daler Mehndi and Mika Singh. Shamsher was a part of Daler’s troupe and performed at several stage shows along with his brother. He was also seen as the jury member on the kids singing reality show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs, in 2017. 

Also Read: Daler Mehndi top songs: From ‘Tunak Tunak’ to ‘Bol Ta Ra Ra’

He and his brother Daler were accused of human trafficking. More than 30 more complaints, levelling charges of fraud against them, also came up later. The complainants alleged that the dup had taken “passage money” from them to help them migrate to the United States illegally but failed to do so.

It was also alleged that the Mehndi brothers took two troupes in 1998 and 1999 during the course of which 10 persons were taken to the United States as group members and “dropped off” illegally.

Shamsher died in 2017 after suffering from jaundice. 

“Mikaji’s brother Ustad Samsher Singhji passed away this morning, in Vedanta hospital in Delhi. mika sir is in Canada right now. Samsher Singhji was suffering from jaundice from last one and a half months, and was hospitalised for the same,” Mika Singh’s spokesperson had told the Indian Express at the time.