Acclaimed singer, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has officially been absolved of any involvement in money laundering, tax evasion, or illicit activities by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Bringing an end to months of speculation, the premier investigation agency in Pakistan has formally closed its inquiry into the suspected money-laundering and tax evasion case surrounding the iconic singer, citing a lack of substantial evidence.
Rahat Fateh, along with others, has been granted a clean chit, as confirmed by the Additional Director of FIA’s Lahore Zone. The decision follows recommendations from the field inquiry unit, which found no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Mr Khan. The senior FIA officer emphasized that a thorough examination of available records revealed no indication of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s involvement in illegal currency smuggling activities.
Initiated in January, the inquiry focused on Khan and 182 other frequent travellers departing from Lahore International Airport for work abroad. The investigation, prompted by data on frequent travellers, aimed to identify individuals engaged in currency smuggling or money laundering. However, the FIA Lahore reported that, based on available records, no incriminating evidence was found against Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
The FIA had initiated the money laundering and tax evasion inquiry based on travel records, with data on 182 travellers provided by the Deputy Director of Immigration at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore. Despite Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s inclusion in the list of frequent travellers, no evidence was found to establish his involvement in illegal currency smuggling.
His former manager, Salman Ahmed, recently disclosed that the singer earned over eight billion Rupees in 12 years from local and international concerts. Despite this revelation, sources within relevant departments affirmed that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan consistently paid his taxes on time, remained law-compliant, and maintained an up-to-date financial record.
Sources from the FIA and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) confirmed that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan fulfilled all his tax obligations for both local and international incomes.
