The Hindu : National : DRI sleuths question Rahat Fateh Ali Khan again

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National

DRI sleuths question Rahat Fateh Ali Khan again

Staff Reporter

His financial transactions come under scanner

NEW DELHI: Celebrated Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, who was detained along with two others at Delhi airport on Sunday for allegedly carrying $1.24 lakh in undeclared cash, was questioned again by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials on Thursday.

Though Mr. Khan reached the DRI office around 11 a.m., he had to wait at the reception for a few minutes due to some communication gap. His questioning went on till late in the evening.

‘Probe under way'

Refusing to divulge details, DRI Additional Director-General R.K. Sharma said: “Investigations are under way. Appropriate action will be taken if any offence is made out.”

Mr. Khan's troupe manager Maroof and event manager Chitresh Shrivastava, besides two foreign exchange agents from Mumbai, were also questioned by the DRI to ascertain the source of the money.

Huge cash seized?

Earlier, searches were conducted at Mr. Shrivastava's office in Mumbai and a huge amount of cash was allegedly seized from there. It is learnt that financial transactions relating to some recent performances by the singer in different parts of the country have also come under the DRI scanner.

Mr. Khan and his troupe were about to board an Emirates flight to Dubai when he along with Mr. Maroof and Mr. Shrivastava were detained by the DRI officials at the airport on Sunday afternoon. They purportedly found $24,000 in Mr. Khan's baggage and $50,000 each in the possession of the other two, much above the permitted limit, besides some demand drafts.

After preliminary inquiry, the three were taken to the DRI office where they were quizzed for several hours. The questioning continued till Monday evening and Mr. Khan was released following frantic diplomatic efforts by Pakistan. However, the passports of all the three persons were impounded by the DRI.

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