New Delhi: Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, who was grilled on Saturday by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), has been charged with violation of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and Customs Act.
His manager Maroof has also been charged for similar offenses.
Earlier Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was questioned on Friday by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials for allegedly carrying $ 1.24 lakh (about Rs 60 lakh) of undeclared foreign currency.
The investigation was against Rahat and four of his associates.
This was the fourth time that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was quizzed since his detention on February 13 at Indira Gandhi International Airport here.
The DRI officials had also interrogated two foreign exchange dealers in Mumbai on Friday in connection with the matter.
Besides Rahat, his manager Maroof, owner of an event management company Chitresh Shrivastava, and two employees of Mumbai-based Foreign Exchange firm were detained and questioned at length about the source of the money.
Rahat was detained when he, along with his 16-member troupe, was on his way to Lahore via Dubai.
Soon after their detention, searches were conducted simultaneously on the premises of "Eyeline Telefilm and Events" in Mumbai, owned by Chitresh, elder brother of bollywood singer Aadesh Shrivastava.
Sources privy to the investigations claimed that the sleuths found Rs 51 lakh in cash which was seized besides some documents.
As per norms, no one can carry beyond $ 5,000 in cash and $ 5,000 in other instruments. The person has to declare the amount if he is carrying more than this to the Customs Department.
Meanwhile, authorities here have extended singer's visa to 10 more days after its expiry on February 14, sources said.
Khan is rated as a one of the top playback singer of Hindi film industry who has several hit numbers to his credit. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer this year for 'Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji' from the movie 'Ishqiya'.
(With additional information from PTI)
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