The legal complaint was lodged with the Patiala Police, where the label has accused the brothers of unlawfully claiming rights over the 2019 hit track ISHQAM.
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Indian music label Navrattan Music has filed a police complaint against Bangladeshi musicians Sheikh Shami Mahmud and Sheikh Shafi Mahmud, known together as the electronic music duo Apeiruss, for alleged copyright fraud, forgery, and illegal misappropriation of royalties amounting to over ₹3 crores.
The legal complaint was lodged with the Patiala Police, where the label has accused the brothers of unlawfully claiming rights over the 2019 hit track ISHQAM.
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The song, released under Navrattan Music and featuring well-known artists Mika Singh and Ali Quli Mirza, was a popular track that had been officially credited and contractually assigned to the label.
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According to Navrattan Music, all rights to ISHQAM, including authorship, composition, publishing, and master rights, were properly secured through legally binding agreements and No Objection Certificates (NOCs) signed in October 2019.
At the time of the song’s creation, the two accused musicians were working under Music and Sound Pvt. Ltd., a company owned by Mika Singh. They were paid a one-time fee of ₹3 lakhs by Ali Quli Mirza for their contribution as composers.
That, according to Navrattan, was the extent of their compensation and involvement. But what unfolded next paints a far murkier picture for them.
In a move the label describes as calculated and fraudulent, Shami and Shafi allegedly forged documents and falsely registered themselves as the sole composers, authors, and publishers of ISHQAM with international publishing bodies, including Sentric Music Publishing in the UK and SACEM in France.
Reportedly, Sentric Music, a reputed global music publisher, went on to sign a publishing deal with the duo, paying them royalties that have now crossed ₹3 crores. This took place, Navrattan says, without any verification or communication with them, the original rights holder.
The label is calling this a glaring instance of professional misconduct and negligence, particularly as Sentric was acquired in 2023 by Believe Digital. It has been distributing Navrattan’s music globally since 2021.
“All official releases and streaming of ‘ISHQAM’ have been through our platforms, with proper credits to Mika Singh and Ali Quli Mirza,” a Navrattan spokesperson emphasized. “There is no ambiguity about ownership.”
Following the submission of concrete evidence including original contracts, payment records, emails, and international publishing data, the Patiala Police has registered an FIR and launched a formal criminal investigation.
Charges reportedly include cheating, criminal breach of trust, copyright infringement, and large-scale fraud.
Navrattan Music has also issued a public warning to all digital music distributors, publishers, platforms, and aggregators: steer clear of any licensing or monetization deals with Apeiruss or its members concerning ISHQAM.
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