ED issues forex violations notice against Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a forex exchange violations case against Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and his associates for alleged contraventions in a 2011 foreign currency recovery case.

The agency has initiated a probe under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and issued notices to the singer in this regard, asking him to explain the source and purpose of the cash.

The case dates back to 2011 when the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted Khan and his manager, Marrouf Ali Khan, at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here for allegedly carrying an undeclared USD 1.24 lakh and some other instruments in foreign currency.

ED is the central agency to probe contraventions under the FEMA.

Emails, phone calls and SMSs by PTI to Khan’s associate and manager in Pakistan remained unanswered.

Sources said ED initiated the probe once it had gone through a report prepared by DRI following the adjudication of the case and after obtaining records of the said cash from RBI.

Officials said the Pakistani singer, post the issuance of notices, has deputed a team of lawyers to record their statements and facts of the seized currency in the case with ED.

Khan, during his earlier statements on the subject, had said he had done nothing wrong and they were carrying the large amount of cash because they were travelling in a group.

The agency has also asked Khan about the details of the shows and events that he has done after which the said amount was accumulated by himin 2011.

The sufi singer had won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 2011 for the song ‘Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji’ from the movie ‘Ishqiya’ and many of his renditions are popular in both India and Pakistan.

PTI