Music sensation Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has filed a legal complaint against his ex-manager Salman Ahmed, accusing him of blackmail and unauthorized use of his YouTube channel. Reports from Pakistani media indicate that Rahat lodged the complaint with the Federal Investigation Agency’s Cyber Crime Circle in Lahore, accompanied by his lawyer Zain Qureshi and singer Waris Baig.
In his statement to the investigating agency, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan asserted that he had hired Salman Ahmed to manage his professional affairs, but Ahmed resorted to blackmail, defamation, and threats.
He claimed that Ahmed threatened to ruin his career and release damaging videos unless he continued working with him. The dispute between Rahat and Ahmed emerged when Rahat decided to switch to a new management team after a 12-year association with Ahmed’s PME (Portfolio Managing Events) World ended abruptly around two months ago.
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Rahat alleges that Ahmed unlawfully seized control of his YouTube channel, which boasts approximately eight million subscribers. He accused Ahmed of manipulating the channel, using his name without consent, and profiting from his work. Additionally, Rahat claims that Ahmed orchestrated a campaign to tarnish his reputation by releasing a video showing him in a physical altercation with a band member.
The complaint also states that Salman Ahmed resides in the UAE, and his actions violate the laws of that country as well. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan urged the authorities to initiate a thorough investigation and register a case against Ahmed under various sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and the Pakistan Penal Code.
Salman Ahmed had previously denied Rahat’s accusations and expressed regret over the sour end to their 12-year relationship.