Palash Muchhal deletes Smriti Mandhana photos, files Rs 10 crore defamation suit amid cheating allegations

Singer and music composer Palash Muchhal has once again found himself at the centre of controversy following the calling off of his wedding with Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana. 

On Sunday, January 25, social media users noticed that Muchhal had removed all photos of Mandhana from his Instagram profile. This came months after Mandhana had deleted their pictures soon after the wedding was called off. 

Muchhal has also unfollowed Mandhana on social media, further fuelling speculation around their strained relationship.

The development follows months of online chatter surrounding the couple after their wedding plans were cancelled, with neither initially offering detailed public explanations.

Serious Allegations by Smriti’s Friend

The controversy intensified after Vidnyan Mane, who claims to be Smriti Mandhana’s childhood friend, made serious allegations against Muchhal on Friday. 

Mane alleged that Muchhal cheated on Mandhana and was caught ‘red-handed with another woman in bed’ during the wedding celebrations on November 23, 2025.

He also claimed that the situation escalated into a physical confrontation involving Indian women cricketers present at the event.

Mane further accused Muchhal of cheating him of over ₹40 lakh. According to him, he was introduced to Muchhal by the Mandhana family and had invested money in an upcoming film project based on promises of returns and a role in the film.

Financial Dispute and Police Complaint

As per Mane’s complaint to the Sangli police, he first met Muchhal in December 2023 and was encouraged to invest in a film titled Nazaria. Mane claimed he paid a total of Rs 40 lakh by March 2025, but the project did not materialise. 

When his requests for a refund allegedly went unanswered, he approached the police. No FIR has been registered so far.

Muchhal’s Legal Response

Strongly denying all allegations, Palash Muchhal has chosen to respond through legal channels. On Saturday evening, he announced that he had filed a Rs 10 crore defamation suit against Mane.

In an Instagram statement, Muchhal said the accusations were ‘entirely baseless, false, and highly defamatory,’ and were made with deliberate intent to harm his reputation.

His lawyer, Shreyansh Mithare, is exploring all legal avenues as the matter continues to unfold, keeping both the personal and legal aspects of the controversy firmly in the public eye.