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Rahat
Fateh Ali Khan detained at Delhi airport
Pakistani
singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was detained at the Indira Gandhi
International Airport here Sunday on his arrival from Pakistan for
allegedly carrying a huge amount of undeclared foreign currency,
said to be $100,000, official sources said.
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New Delhi: A day after
Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was detained at the Delhi
airport on charges of carrying undisclosed foreign currency of
over $100,000, he was freed Monday, but has been asked to stay in
the country pending a probe into the source of the money.
Rahat, along with two of his colleagues Maroof and event manager
Chitresh Shirivastava, has been asked to appear before the
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DIR) Feb 17, informed sources
said.
The three were asked by the DRI to surrender their passports and
appear again for questioning in three days.
Rahat was released after an assurance by the Pakistan high
commission that he will cooperate with the probe, the sources
added. He has been told not to leave the country.
"We are only questioning him. We will be shortly taking a
decision," Vijaylakshmi Sharma, director-general of the DRI, told
reporters when asked about the outcome of the interrogation.
Rahat was detained at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International
Airport Sunday on his way back to Pakistan after attending
concerts and award functions in India.
"The DRI officers found altogether $124,000, 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 said.
Majumadar added that there were "clear violations of excise laws"
and the currency carried by them was "much above" the allowed
limit.
According to norms, no one can carry beyond $5,000 in cash and
$5,000 in other instruments. The person has to declare to the
Customs Department if he is carrying more than this amount.
Islamabad started working up diplomatic channels to free Rahat Ali
after he was detained Sunday night.
Government sources in New Delhi Monday said India's external
affairs ministry has been in touch with Pakistan's Foreign Office
over the issue.
Three officials from Pakistan's high commission in New Delhi came
to zonal headquarters of the DRI where the singer was
interrogated, but left after about 30 minutes, the sources said.
Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir called India's High
Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal in Islamabad and discussed the
matter around midnight Sunday. He requested the Indian envoy to
ensure that "no official should misbehave with Rahat during
interrogation".
Bashir also called up Pakistan's 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 the Indian foreign
office," he said, adding that "contact with Indian authorities for
updates in the case must be maintained throughout".
Malik spoke with Vivek Katju, Secretary (West) in India's external
affairs ministry, insisting that the protective custody of the
singer be lifted, Pakistan's state-run APP news agency quoted a
statement from the Pakistan Foreign Office as saying.
Earlier, Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik called Shahid
Malik and directed him "to provide necessary legal and other
consular help to Rahat".
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 Ji".
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