Bhangra-pop singer Daler Mehndi was on Tuesday released on bail, 11 days after his arrest in a human trafficking case.
The Patiala police did not oppose his bail plea.
Immediately after his release late in the evening, Daler told reporters he was thankful to the Almighty.
Duty Magistrate Satpal ordered Daler to furnish a bond of Rs 50,000 and two sureties of the same amount.
Police sources said an extension of his remand was not sought as it was 'not required'. "Daler has been found to be innocent in investigations so far, but a clean chit can be given to him only after completion of the probe," Senior Superintendent of Police A S Rai said.
Rai recently replaced Paramraj Singh Umranangal as SSP. Daler had alleged that he was implicated in the case after he refused to pay a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore to the Patiala police when Umranangal was the SSP.
A deputy SP, who allegedly demanded the bribe, was also transferred later. The government claimed both transfers were routine administrative reshuffle.
Rai said those who had lodged complaints against Daler would be questioned now and asked to provide certain details,
including their sources of income.
The complainants had alleged that they had paid the singer Rs 12 to 15 lakh each to travel abroad as part of his entertainment troupe.
The case against Daler and others, including his brother Shamsher, who is in police custody, was registered on the complaint of one Bakshish Singh, who alleged that he was not taken abroad even though he had paid Rs 13 lakh out of
the Rs 15 lakh sought by the singer.
