Pakistani Singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan detained over undeclared foreign currency

[Daredevil]

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan detained over undeclared foreign currency

PTI / Sunday, February 13, 2011 19:23 IST​

Noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was detained at the IGI airport in New Delhi this evening by revenueintelligence sleuths for allegedly carrying a huge amount of undeclared foreign currency.

Khan, popular Bollywood playback singer, arrived here on a flight from Karachi and was intercepted by personnel from directorate of revenue intelligence acting on some prior information, official sources said.

They said the singer was carrying a huge amount of foreign currency which he did not declare to the immigration authorities. Two other persons accompanying him have also been detained, the sources said.

Khan is being questioned and the amount of the money is being ascertained, they said.

The 37-year-old, nephew of the Pakistani singing legend Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, was earlier too involved in a controversy when organisers of a concert in Gurgaon filed a police complaint against him in July last year for his failure to turn up for a show.
Khan has several hit numbers to his credit and had won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer this year for Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji from the movie Ishqiya.

 

[Ray]

Big money as per the TV news.

What was he bringing so much money in for?

I thought one took money out to Pakistan and not the other way around!

 

[Daredevil]

May be he is trying to move to India or trying to ferry money for sleeper cells in India. Could be anything.

 

[Oracle]

Reminds me of the movie Sarfarosh and Gulfam Hassan.

 

[Blackwater]

Reminds me of the movie Sarfarosh and Gulfam Hassan.

True my blood boils when I see these Pakistani artists come to India earn name and fame and when they go back to pak criticize India . "Hame to izzat nahi mili." akistan:

 

[Tshering22]

True my blood boils when i see these pakiz artist come to India earn name and fame and when they go back to pak criticize India . "Hame to izzat nahi mili." akistan:

Same here. Sometimes I wonder that one particular statement of that loony Thackeray was correct: not to allow Pakistani singers and artists who are nothing but ungrateful and thankless louts to work in Bollywood. अपने देश में क्या लोगों की कमी है जो बॉलीवुड वाले पाकिस्तान चले जाते हैं कला ढ़ूँढने??

As if Maoists, Jihadis, Somalis and Muivahs weren't enough, now we have Pakistani celebrity-earning-from-India category also doing dirt in India .

 

[Tshering22]

Reminds me of the movie Sarfarosh and Gulfam Hassan.

Well, this means we need to take our movies on such topics a little more seriously. Who knows they might be indirect warnings or "prophecies" regarding what we might face in the near future?

 

[peacecracker]

ISI wanting to use Khan to fund Extremists ? news says pakistani mea also intervened.

 

[Singh]

India should and is the cultural capital of the subcontinent and I applaud the government's policy of welcoming foreign artists for the same.

I hope this incident doesn't deter other Pakistani artists, but people must realize that India has its own laws, which the Government sometimes adheres to quite zealous. In a similar incident, Mr. Rahul Gandhi nee "Raul Vinci" was also arrested at an American airport with 160,000$ of cash, it took a lot of effort from the GoI to have him released from the custody.

I hope Mr. Khan is treated as any other person, and his nationality etc shouldn't define the quantum of his punishment. I hope you all the best Mr. Khan, and hope to see you out of this mess soon.

PS: People don't be hating on Mr. Khan.

 

[Oracle]

Singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan grilled, Pak concerned

Noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has been extensively questioned by revenue intelligence officials in connection with the undeclared foreign currency recovered from his possession.

The singer was detained at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport on Sunday by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials after he and two of his troupe members were caught allegedly carrying $1.24 lakh (about Rs 60 lakh) in undeclared foreign currency.

Sources said Rahat was then taken to the DRI office in New Delhi and questioned at length.

Rahat (37) and his entire troupe, numbering around 16, including his manager Maroof and event manager were detained.

The troupe was on in its way to Lahore via Dubai by an Emirates flight. A nephew of Pakistani singing legend Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat is a top Bollywood playback singer and has several hit numbers to his credit.

He won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer this year for Dil To BachchaHai Ji from the movie Ishqiya.

"The DRI officers found altogether $1,24,000, which is equivalent to about Rs 60 lakh. $24,000 were found from the baggage carried by Rahat while the remaining $50,000 each were found from the baggage of two troupe members," Central Board of Excise and Customs Chairman S Dutt Majumdar had said.

The recovered foreign currency included $10,000 and $8,600 in demand drafts, sources had said.

DRI personnel intercepted khan around 4 pm acting on some prior information, the sources said.

As per norms, a foreign national cannot carry beyond $5,000 in cash and $5,000 in other instruments. The person has to declare the amount if he is carrying more than this to the Customs Department.

According to sources, the payments by an event manager to Rahat were made in Indian currency and US dollars and these people were allegedly found converting the dollars to Indian rupees 'through unauthorised channels'.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has reportedly stepped in personally to look into Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's detention.

According to the Dawn, Malik has spoken to Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik, and asked him to monitor the matter closely.

Source

 

[Oracle]

Pakistan seeks release of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

Islamabad: Pakistan has initiated hectic efforts to secure the release of famous singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan detained at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on charges of carrying undisclosed foreign currency.

Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir called Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Sharat Sabarwal and discussed the matter around midnight on Sunday. He requested the Indian envoy to ensure that 'no official should misbehave with Rahat during interrogation'.

Rahat was detained at the Delhi airport on Sunday on his way back to Pakistan after attending concerts and award functions in India. More than $100,000 were recovered from the 15-member troupe.

After over six hours of interrogation by customs officials, he was formally arrested and would be presented in a court on Monday morning, Dunya News reported.

Bashir also called up Pakistani High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik and directed him to 'take immediate steps for securing release of Rahat'.

'The matter should be taken up formally with Indian foreign office,' he said, adding that 'contact with Indian authorities for updates in the case must be maintained throughout'.

Earlier, Interior Minister Rehman Malik called Shahid Malik and directed him 'to provide necessary legal and other consular help to Rahat'.

'Regular updates should be given to authorities in Pakistan regarding efforts to resolve the case,' he stressed.

Rahat's brother-in-law, Asim Raza, told Dunya TV that they 'received information from the media and were feeling concerned about it'. 'We are yet to establish any proper contact with the authorities in India although Rahat talked briefly with his wife and asked her to remain hopeful of a positive outcome'.

Rahat, the nephew of legendary singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, is popular both in India and Pakistan. Several of his hit songs from Indian films are a rage on both sides of the border, for which he has won several awards, including the recent Filmfare award for 'Dil to Bacha Hai Jee'.

Source

 

[Singh]

Hope Pak media is not going to turnaround and make this into an issue of "ghairat" or pride, "Hindu" and "India" bashing all the while thanking "Jinnah" and "Allah" for "Pakistan".

 

[thakur_ritesh]

Hope Pak media is not going to turnaround and make this into an issue of "ghairat" or pride, "Hindu" and "India" bashing all the while thanking "Jinnah" and "Allah" for "Pakistan".

lol i would be surprised if they havent done it already

 

[SHASH2K2]

As per latest report even Pakistani embassy officials were denied access to him . Apart from cash many drafts were also found in his luggages. he is in for a big trouble. Raid are already going on at several event management companies.

 

[Ray]

Why should he be released?

Has he a diplomatic passport, Mr Quereshi?

 

[Yusuf]

What did Rahat Fateh Ali sing when he was being taken away for interrogation?


What he is singing right now in detention?

 

[Blackwater]

Hope Pak media is not going to turnaround and make this into an issue of "ghairat" or pride, "Hindu" and "India" bashing all the while thanking "Jinnah" and "Allah" for "Pakistan".

they have already starting bashing India . Iam looking at there news channel, ary, geo, aajtv. They are saying, he is arrested coz he is pakistani. Lot of pak artist are tortured in India. India gave this valentine gift blah blah blah.

 

[SHASH2K2]

Day after detention, Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan arrested


NEW DELHI: Noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was on Monday arrested by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), a day after he was detained at the IGI airport in New Delhi on charges of carrying undisclosed foreign currency, an official said.

"He has been arrested and will be produced in court," an official of DRI said.

Earlier in the day, the singer was extensively questioned by revenue intelligence officials.

Rahat Ali and two of his troupe members were on Sunday caught allegedly carrying $1.24 lakh (about Rs 60 lakh) in undeclared foreign currency.

Rahat (37) and his entire troupe, numbering around 16, including his manager Maroof and event manager were detained. The troupe was on in its way to Lahore via Dubai by an Emirates flight.

A nephew of Pakistani singing legend Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat is a top Bollywood playback singer and has several hit numbers to his credit. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer this year for 'Dil To BachchaHai Ji' from the movie 'Ishqiya'.

"The DRI officers found altogether $1,24,000 which is equivalent to about Rs 60 lakh. $24,000 were found from the baggage carried by Rahat while the remaining $50,000 each were found from the baggage of two troupe members," Central Board of Excise and Customs chairman S Dutt Majumdar had said.

The recovered foreign currency included $10,000 and $8,600 in demand drafts, sources had said.

Khan was intercepted by DRI personnel around 4 pm acting on some prior information, the sources said.

As per norms, a foreign national cannot carry beyond $5,000 in cash and $5,000 in other instruments.

The person has to declare the amount if he is carrying more than this to the customs department.

According to sources, the payments by an event manager to Rahat were made in Indian currency and US dollars and these people were allegedly found converting the dollars to Indian rupees "through unauthorised channels".

Read more: Day after detention, Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan arrested - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...rrested/articleshow/7492879.cms#ixzz1Dv80s9JJ
​

 

[Singh]

Why should he be released?

Has he a diplomatic passport, Mr Quereshi?

Mr. Qureshi is not the FM anymore. USA had him removed as per one newspaper report.

He is back to his duties as the Sajjada Nasheen of his darbar.

lol i would be surprised if they havent done it already

they have already starting bashing India . Iam looking at there news channel, ary, geo, aajtv. They are saying, he is arrested coz he is pakistani. Lot of pak artist are tortured in India. India gave this valentine gift blah blah blah.

India ka Valentine

 

[Singh]

Guys please only post news reports, preferably excerpts, which have new developments.