A Delhi court has directed Bollywood singer-rapper Honey Singh (also known as Hirdesh Singh) to appear for a hearing in a domestic violence case filed by his wife Shalini Talwar after he failed to do so earlier.
"No one is above the law. Surprised to see how this case is being taken so lightly", metropolitan magistrate Tania Singh said on Saturday.
Aside from ordering Honey to appear for the next hearing on 3 September, the court also sought his medical report and details of his income tax returns.
While Honey's counsel Ishan Mukherjee assured the court that the rapper will attend the next scheduled hearing, he also informed the magistrate that the singer is unwell and will thus seek an exemption from appearing in person.
Mukherjee informed the court that Honey's wife Shalini, who appeared before the court in person on Saturday, has already taken all the valuables with her including jewellery, and said she can live at her in-laws' house in Noida.
"We are ready to accommodate her. We will build a wall. It can be provided to her in 15 days", Mukherjee said.
Flashback to the case
Earlier this month, Yo Yo Honey Singh’s wife Shalini filed a plea in a Delhi court accusing him of domestic violence and cheating. Shalini alleged in the plea that she was "subjected to numerous incidents of physical abuse, verbal, mental abuse and emotional abuse", at the hands of Honey, his parents, and his younger sister.
She also accused Honey of alcoholism and adultery and said he had allegedly had "casual sex with multiple women".
Shalini said that she felt like a “farm animal...being treated cruelly”. She also claimed that once her father-in-law walked into her room in an inebriated condition while she was changing her clothes and grazed his hands over her chest.
In the plea, Shalini sought a security order from the court and INR 100 million ($1,360,605) compensation from him for what he and her in-laws did. She also requested the court to order Honey to pay $6,738 in rent every month for fully furnished accommodations in Delhi so that she could live by herself.
Honey, on the other hand, issued a statement in which he said that Talwar’s allegations are “false and malicious” and “severely odious".
“I see no merit in maintaining a studied silence this time because some of the allegations have been directed at my family - my old parents and younger sister - who have stood by me during some very difficult and trying times and comprise my world. The allegations are cynical and defaming in nature", he said in a statement on Instagram.
"I strongly refute all the allegations but will not comment any further because the matter is sub-judice before the Court of Law. I have full faith in the judicial system of this country, and I am confident that the truth will be out soon", he said.
Honey and Shalini tied the knot in a hush-hush ceremony on 23 January 2011 in the presence of their family members.