Popular singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was released on bail a few hours after he was arrested at Dubai Airport. The complaint was filed by his former manager Salman Ahmad.
In a video message through a Pakistani local channel, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan issued his statement following his arrest. He asked his fans and followers not to pay attention to the rumors. However, he did not deny that he was arrested.
Evidence suggests that Police registered a formal complaint against the singer on July 13th this year. He was also questioned by the Police at Bur Police Station.
The singer had arrived in Dubai early morning on Monday from Lahore for a musical collaboration but was taken into police custody at the immigration center and then to the Burj Dubai police station for questioning and formal charges over the complaint.
It is not yet known what the exact charges are. People in Rahat’s management company confirmed the arrest and said they were waiting to hear more on the matter. “The arrest of Rahat is specifically in relation to the criminal defamation complaint by someone but the details are not known yet,” a source in Rahat’s management said. “Rahat is being kept in Burj Dubai police station,” the source shared.
Read more: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Arrested in Dubai Over Defamation Complaint
Rahat is being accompanied by his brother-in-law Bakka Burki on the trip, who is dealing with the matter, the sources said. Defamation via social media is a serious offense in Dubai. In 2019, a court in Dubai sentenced an individual to a fine of AED 250,000 and six months in prison after being convicted of defamation and abuse through social media. The convict had posted offensive comments and altered images of another person.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is a renowned singer both in Pakistan and India. A few months back video of him brutally beating one of his employees went viral on social media.