RAHAT FREED, BUT ASKED TO STAY IN BHARAT PENDING PROBE
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
IANS
The Pioneer
Monday, February 14, 2011
Indraprasth aka 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 on
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".
http://dailypioneer.com/317703/Rahat-freed-but-asked-to-stay-in-India-pending-probe.html
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Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
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suhas
Abhijit has raised a point as to why Rahat was freed so quickly.Maybe
Abhijit does not know we take orders from USA.
Does not know