PTI

Patna, Jun 10: The Bihar Women's Commission on Friday asked singer Udit Narayan to appear before it within a week in connection with a complaint filed by Ranjana Narayan, who claims to be his first wife.

He was warned that an arrest warrant will be issued against him if he failed to follow the order.

Commission Chairperson Manju Prakash said that Narayan’s lawyer Mahasweta Chatterjee had asked that he be exempted from making a personal appearance before the panel and that an advocate be allowed to represent him.

However, the plea was rejected.

"Udit Narayan will have to appear before the Commission in person to answer the charges levelled by Ranjana Narayan," Prakash said.

Friday was the fourth occasion that Udit failed to appear before the Commission to explain his position vis-à-vis Ranjana's claim of being married to him.

The Commission had on May 22 issued the third summon to Narayan to appear before it.

Prakash said that on the basis of photographs of the marriage and statements of people who had attended it almost two decades ago, the panel has found Ranjana's claim to be "true.”

She now wanted to hear Narayan’s version and also a clarification about his relationship with Deepa Narayan, with whom he is currently living.

The Commission had on April 22 found "prima facie true" the complaint of Ranjana, who claimed to be Udit's first wife.

It then decided to issue a notice to him to appear before the panel on May 12 after registering a case of breach of the marriage allegedly solemnised in 1984.

Ranjana, a resident of Bihar's Supaul district, had tried to force her entry into the suite occupied by Udit and his "second" wife Deepa at a hotel here on April 21, after which the police whisked him away to the airport.

Narayan, later had rubbished Ranjana's claim and alleged she was trying to blackmail him.