Smriti Mandhana’s Friend Accuses Palash Muchhal Of Alleged Caste Abuse, Files Formal Complaint: Report

Music composer and filmmaker Palash Muchhal is facing fresh legal trouble after Sangli city police registered a case based on a complaint by cricketer Smriti Mandhana's childhood friend Vidnyan Mane, who has alleged caste-based abuse linked to a financial dispute over a proposed film project.

According to a TV9 Marathi report, Mane stated that the incident happened on November 22, 2025, at a toll plaza on the Sangli-Ashta road, where an argument over money allegedly led to Muchhal abusing Mane in caste terms, prompting the latest criminal case.

Palash Muchhal Smriti Mandhana case details and legal sections

The complaint claims that Mane had earlier given Rs. 25 lakh to Palash Muchhal for producing a film, and when Mane repeatedly sought updates and repayment, tensions escalated, culminating in the November altercation that now forms the basis of the caste atrocity and assault-related charges.

Police in Sangli have booked Palash Muchhal under Section 3(1) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, along with Sections 351(2) and 352 of the Indian Penal Code, and officials have said that further investigation into Mane's allegations is currently underway.

Palash Muchhal Smriti Mandhana dispute and earlier financial complaint

This is not the first confrontation between Vidnyan Mane and Palash Muchhal, as Mane had already filed a separate case earlier this year, alleging that Muchhal cheated Mane of Rs. 40 lakh in what Mane described as a failed film investment, which further strained relations between the two.

Following that earlier complaint, reports stated that Palash Muchhal responded with a Rs. 10 crore defamation suit against Vidnyan Mane, and Mane has also alleged that Muchhal cheated on Smriti Mandhana and was, according to Mane's claim, caught red-handed, though Muchhal has not publicly answered these specific accusations.

Palash Muchhal Smriti Mandhana wedding plans and cancellation

Palash Muchhal and Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana had planned to marry in November last year, with pre-wedding events already completed, but the marriage ceremony was called off on the wedding day, after which both issued a joint statement confirming that they would not be getting married and addressed speculation.

Reports at the time carried multiple theories about why the Palash Muchhal and Smriti Mandhana wedding was cancelled; however, apart from the joint confirmation that the marriage would not go ahead, neither side has linked the decision to the ongoing dispute with Vidnyan Mane, and Muchhal has yet to comment on the new complaint.