Rahat Fateh Ali Khan charged with Customs Act violation

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Saturday grilled Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan over recovery of unaccounted foreign currency from him at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here and slapped Customs Act violation charges on him.

According to reports, Khan and his manager Maroof have been charged under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and Customs Act violation.

This is the third time the singer faced DRI interrogation.

Completing the probe on Khan?s case, the DRI has reportedly sent the issue for adjudication by Commissioner Customs (Airports).

On Thursday and Friday, Khan was grilled by intelligence officials for over 10 hours respectively.

Khan was released on Monday, 28 hours after being detained and questioned by revenue intelligence officials.

He was released after the Pakistani government stepped in and asked that the singer be let out of the ?protective custody? immediately, media reports said.

Rahat and his entire troupe of 16 members were detained at the IGI airport on Sunday after nearly USD 1.24 lakh was recovered by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) from the singer and two of his associates.

They were en route to Lahore via Dubai by an Emirate flight.

?The DRI officers found altogether 1,24,000 USD which is equivalent to about Rs 60 lakhs. 24,000 USD were found from the baggage carried by Rahat while the remaining 50,000 USD each were found from the baggage of two troupe members,? officials at the airport said.

The recovered foreign currency included USD 10,000 and USD 8,600 in demand drafts.