Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was detained at the Delhi airport with a large amount of undeclared foreign currency by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence on Sunday afternoon.
A team of DRI officials intercepted Khan at the airport while he was clearing Customs formalities at approximately 3.45 pm on Sunday, said officials. DRI officials had acted on a tip-off they had received and detained him with US $1.24 lakh.
Khan was on his way to Karachi via Dubai. According to primary information, Khan had come to India some days ago to perform at the Times of India sponsored Aman Ki Asha concert.
Airport officials said that Khan was carrying US $ 1.24 lakh in his hand baggage. Legally, Khan is allowed to carry US $ 10,000 -- in cash, traveler's cheques and belongings without declaring.
According to airport sources, Customs officials had received information that Khan would carry a large amount of foreign currency when he would pass through the Delhi airport some time in December. But at the last moment, Khan changed his plans and took a flight from elsewhere.
Even otherwise, the Customs have no provision to arrest a foreigner, a senior officer said.
"Even in this case, he will have to be let off most probably. He has contacted the event management company who took care of his performance and stay. If the amount they declare they gave him match the amount he has been held with, he will be let go. Performers are usually paid in dollars and celebrities of his stature are given a large amount of money for a performance," the officer explained.
Khan has sung several popular Bollywood songs and is the nephew of legendary Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer this year for the song Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji from the movie Ishqiya.
