NEW DELHI, Oct 7: Indian police sought the arrest of popular Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi on Tuesday, after evidence of his involvement in illegal immigration surfaced, police said.

Mehndi’s brother Shamsher Singh Shera was arrested on Sunday after a “victim” - Bakshish Singh from Balwera village, in East Punjab - filed a police complaint, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported.

Mehndi was also named in the complaint. Police alleged both Mehndi and his brother were involved in the people smuggling racket, along with three others. Police sent a team to New Delhi to arrest him, the report said.

Daler Mehndi denied any involvement and told reporters at a hurriedly called press conference that his brother Shera had nothing to do with his entertainment company.

He claimed he disowned his brother in 2001, because he misused the popular singer’s name and goodwill, and would even impersonate him.

Punjab police said Mehndi and Shera would demand exorbitant sums of money from people, usually villagers in East Punjab, to take them abroad. The most popular destinations were the United States and Canada, where Mehndi regularly performs.

Would-be immigrants would travel as part of Mr Mehndi’s music troupe, and then be left behind with temporary visas, police alleged.

Singh claimed Shera demanded 1.5 million rupees (33,000 dollars) for facilitating his migration. He claimed to have paid Shera 1.3 million rupees (29,000 dollars) in advance, and went to police when there was no sign of either the promised trip or the money.—dpa