Music producer held after singer Sunanda claims fraud, duress

Punjabi music producer Pushpinder Dhaliwal has been arrested after singer and actress Sunanda Sharma filed a cheating, forgery, wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation complaint against him.

Sunanda alleged her songs fetched Rs 250 crore, but she got no direct payments over the years, and “defamatory conduct has caused her severe financial loss”.

In her complaint lodged with the Mohali police, she also alleged that Pushpinder Dhaliwal, also known as Pinky Dhaliwal, exploited her on the pretext of marrying his son Gurkaran Dhaliwal with her.

Dhaliwal was arrested from Sector 70 on Saturday. He was sitting on the front seat of a police vehicle while being taken to the court. Two Mataur police station officials were sitting on the back seat.

When mediapersons approached Dhaliwal, he reportedly said, “Jadon kisi bachche no roti paaogey, tan aaei kuch hoyga.” He added: “The whole Punjabi music industry knows about it.”

The court sent Dhaliwal to two-day police remand.

“He consistently forced me to perform at various events, concerts and other professional engagements without providing me compensation... The accused has made considerable personal wealth by financially exploiting me... Recover my passport, identification documents... Provide me protection against further harassment,” the FIR read.

A case under Sections 406, 420, 465, 467, 468, 341, 500 and 506 of the IPC was registered at the Mataur police station yesterday.

Punjab Women’s Commission chairperson Raj Lalli Gill took up Sunanda’s case after she posted her ordeal on the social media. She has also tagged Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann in her post. Gill said two-three more persons are in touch with her to expose people of the music industry.

Sunanda, best known for songs “Patake”, “Morni”, “Sandal”, “Jaani Tera Naa” and “Duji Vaar Pyar”, has alleged that the music company ‘Mad4Music’ has been withholding her dues for years and kept bonded her to the company.

The Punjabi singer made a guest appearance on “Bigg Boss 17” to promote her new song “Chandigarh Ka Chokra” and had an interaction with host Salman Khan. She made her acting debut with Diljit Dosanjh in “Sajjan Singh Rangroot” in 2018.

Her post on ‘X’ platform

The 33-year-old singer and actress posted on the “X” platform: “This is to inform the public, business associates, and all concerned parties that certain individuals/entities are falsely claiming to have exclusive rights over my professional engagements and misleading third parties into believing that I am contractually bound to them. These claims are completely false, fraudulent, unauthorized, and legally baseless. Legal action will be taken against

anyone found misrepresenting their association with me or attempting to interfere with my professional engagements.”