Composer-filmmaker Palaash Muchhal is facing an FIR in Sangli after allegations of caste-based abuse and financial misconduct were made by Vidnyan Mane.

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Police have registered the case under the Atrocities Act following a complaint filed by Mane, who is described as a childhood friend of Indian cricket vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. The matter is currently under investigation.

Allegation of ₹25 lakh investment in film project

According to the complaint, Mane has alleged that Muchhal took ₹25 lakh from him as an investment in a proposed film titled Nazariya. He also claimed that he was promised a role in the project and that the invested amount, along with profits, would be returned after the film’s release.

However, the complaint states that the film was never made, and repeated requests for repayment were allegedly ignored.

Claims of caste-based abuse during meeting

Mane has further alleged that when he met Muchhal in person to demand his money, he was subjected to casteist slurs and derogatory remarks.

The complaint states that the incident took place on November 22, 2025, at a farmhouse in Sangli, during which he was allegedly humiliated over his caste identity.

Police confirm case, investigation underway

Officials said the case has been registered against Palaash Rajkumar Muchhal, a resident of Mumbai’s Lokhandwala area, based on the complaint filed by Vidnyan Prakash Mane, a 34-year-old resident of Sangli.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Sandeep Bhagwat confirmed that the FIR has been lodged and that further investigation is underway into both the financial allegations and claims of caste-based abuse.

Mandhana–Muchhal wedding cancellation 

The development comes months after Mandhana and Muchhal called off their wedding, which had been scheduled for November 2025.

According to earlier reports, the ceremony was first postponed after Mandhana’s father was hospitalised, and later both publicly confirmed that the wedding had been cancelled in December 2025, requesting privacy and asking fans to end speculation around their personal lives.

Published on: May 6, 2026 5:41 PM IST