Udit Narayan keen to settle dispute with

Udit Narayan's lawyer informed the women's panel that the singer was keen for a compromise and settlement, commission chairperson Manju Prakash told reporters here. The lawyer requested for a week's time for that and the commission decided to grant it, she said.

Udit Narayan Wednesday failed to appear before the commission for the fourth time in two months after the commission registered a case of breach of marriage against him and issued a notice on the basis of a complaint filed by Ranjana Narayan in April.

Ranjana, a resident of Nirmali village in Supaul district, claimed that she is the first wife of the popular singer. According to her, they had married in 1984 and his second wife Deepa Narayan was not his legal wife.

Meanwhile, the commission's decision to give more time to Udit Narayan raised eyebrows here.

"The commission has taken a U-turn by granting him more time. This is contrary to the stand it had taken earlier this month when it had threatened to issue a warrant against him if he failed to appear Wednesday," said a woman activist who was helping Ranjana fight for her rights.

Udit Narayan, on his part, has denied Ranjana's allegation. He has told media that he did not know "any Ranjana Narayan" and had never married her, saying it was a conspiracy to defame him.