PHAGWARA: The legal troubles for Punjabi singer Hassan Manak deepened this week after the Kapurthala police added charges of rape to an existing case of fraud and bigamy filed by a UK-based NRI woman. The development comes amid growing criticism of the police investigation and allegations of procedural lapses raised by the complainant’s family.
Manak, who was arrested on November 13, was on Thursday remanded to 14-day judicial custody by a local court. The case, originally registered on May 30, 2025, at the Phagwara City police station, stemmed from detailed allegations that the singer concealed his marital status, won the trust of the NRI woman by projecting himself as a celebrity, and extracted significant financial assistance from her family under the pretext of marriage.
According to the complainant’s mother, Parvinder Kaur, the family spent nearly ₹22–25 lakh on jewellery, clothing, gifts and wedding arrangements after the accused allegedly assured them that he was single and intending to marry her daughter. Rituals were reportedly conducted at a palace in Banga before police intervened and declared the marriage invalid due to his existing marital ties and pending domestic violence case.
The investigation took a serious turn after statements recorded during the probe reportedly indicated that the accused had established physical relations with the woman under false assurances of being her lawful husband. Taking note of these disclosures, the police added sexual assault provisions to the FIR, while a district court earlier observed that Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita—pertaining to sexual relations obtained through deceit—appeared relevant in the matter.
However, the complainant’s family has questioned the pace and direction of the investigation. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Kaur alleged that the police neither sought custodial remand nor made efforts to recover crucial digital or financial evidence. She suggested possible foul play and urged authorities to ensure a fair and transparent probe.