Singer Palash Muchhal faces serious legal trouble after Smriti Mandhana’s childhood friend filed a complaint alleging casteist remarks during a heated altercation. The case, registered in Sangli, Maharashtra, invokes the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, spotlighting a dispute that began as a financial disagreement.
Vignyan Prakash Mane, a social worker and Mandhana’s Sangli-based friend, claims Muchhal duped him of Rs 25 lakh promised for an unreleased film project. The confrontation escalated on November 22, 2025, at a toll plaza on the Sangli-Ashta road. Mane alleges Muchhal hurled caste-based slurs when pressed for repayment, turning a personal loan issue into a criminal matter. Police have booked Muchhal under Section 3(1)(R)(S) of the Atrocities Act, plus Sections 351(2), 352, and 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal intimidation and abuse.
Sangli City Police confirmed the FIR, dispatching teams to arrest Muchhal, who remains untraceable. Mane detailed threats of physical harm via Mumbai contacts and mental harassment, stating, “We realized we’d been deceived… He made deeply offensive casteist remarks I detailed in the FIR.” The complaint revives Muchhal-Mandhana’s messy breakup; the couple announced their wedding cancellation on December 7, 2025, amid infidelity claims during pre-wedding events. Mane was present when Muchhal was allegedly caught with another woman.
Muchhal previously denied Mane’s accusations of cheating and financial fraud exceeding Rs 40 lakh, calling them baseless. No response has surfaced regarding the caste allegations. The timing reignites public memory of the high-profile romance between the composer (Veerey Di Wedding) and cricketer, India’s T20 vice-captain who recently led in the Women’s Premier League.
Fans express shock online, with #PalashMuchhal trending alongside support for Mandhana. This SC/ST case underscores sensitivities around caste discourse, especially post his public fallout. Police investigations continue as Muchhal’s team stays silent, leaving Bollywood and cricket circles watching closely amid the legal storm