The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of Punjabi music producer Pushpinder Pal Singh Dhaliwal, popularly known as Pinky Dhaliwal, declaring his recent arrest as illegal. Dhaliwal, known for his work with music labels such as Mad4Music and Amar Audio, was taken into custody by Mataur police in Mohali on allegations of cheating and financially exploiting singer and actress Sunanda Sharma.
Justice HS Brar, presiding over the case, directed that Dhaliwal be released unless he is required for another case, citing procedural discrepancies in his arrest. The detailed reasons for the decision will be provided later in a comprehensive order.
Sunanda Sharma, a prominent figure in the Punjabi entertainment industry, had accused Dhaliwal of severe financial misconduct. She claimed that despite generating earnings over ₹250 crore, Dhaliwal had unlawfully taken control of all her income, leaving her without direct payments. This, she asserted, had led to substantial financial instability and damage to her reputation.
The arrest of Dhaliwal sparked controversy, particularly over the manner in which it was executed. According to Dhaliwal’s legal team, which included senior advocates RS Rai, Vinod Ghai, and Amit Jhanji, he was taken from his home without a formal FIR or complaint against him at the time. The arrest was recorded in the police log at 7:38 pm, but when his lawyer arrived at the police station less than an hour later, they were informed of the absence of any formal charges.
A habeas corpus petition was swiftly filed by Dhaliwal’s attorneys, leading to the appointment of a warrant officer by the High Court at 11 pm the same day. Despite this, the police allegedly failed to cooperate with the warrant officer when he arrived at the station, refusing to provide a copy of the FIR or an arrest memo, which was reportedly prepared seven hours after Dhaliwal’s initial detention.
The court was informed that the FIR itself was filed after the appointment of the warrant officer, further complicating the legality of the arrest process. The legal requirement to provide grounds for arrest was not met, leading to the High Court’s decision to deem the arrest illegal.
