Pak singer to appeal against ED order

MUMBAI: Pakistani singer Adnan Sami will appeal against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) order and has threatened to drag his developer to court for hiding facts. Speaking at his Lokhandwala residence, the singer said, "I have been given 45 days to appeal against the order, which I will do soon.'' He alleged that the builder kept him in the dark after his application for acquiring property in India was rejected by the RBI."I was not informed about that my application was rejected by the RBI. It took me by surprise when I received a show-cause notice,'' said Sami.
Talking about property deal, Sami said, "When I expressed a desire to buy property in 2003 The developer helped me through the entire procedure. I bought the property for Rs 2.3 crore. I paid part of it myself and the developer helped me get a bank loan of Rs 1.5 crore, for which I presented all the documents. I never hid that I was a Pakistani national. My property was registered in my name by the authorities. Why didn't the authorities check my documents at that time? Why wasn't I told that I couldn't buy property in India? Why didn't the bank check my nationality before sanctioning the loan?"
Sami said that he didn't know that Pakistani nationals were not allowed to buy property in India. "I bought the property using the money I had earned in India through my hard work. I have cleared the loan that I had taken from the bank. I am a tax payer and a have PAN card in my name,'' Sami added.
Sami's counsel, Vibhav Krishna, who was also present, said, "We have a right to appeal before the appellate forum of FEMA and we shall exercise this right within two days."
Sami said, "I am not going anywhere. I have lived in Mumbai for 11 years and in all respects I consider myself to be Mumbaikar. This is my home. I have not done anything wrong. The fact that the authorities decided to take away my property after six years baffles me.'' He adds, " In fact the first time the property issue came up when my former wife Sabah brought it up in the court. But after this order her claim to the property becomes null and void.''
Sami's had applied for Indian citizenship, but his application is still pending.
When the notice came to us we did ask the authorities to cross examine the witnesses in the case but we denied it. It was shocking to read that none of them knew who Adnan Sami was."
Krishna also adds, " There is a ex-post facto sanction that allows one to file an application again which we filed on December 2 to the RBI . We intimated the adjudicating authority to wait till we got a reply but they didn't and passed the order on December 21."
We have received a copy of the order but the properties have not yet been confiscated. He added, "We have a right to appeal before the appellate forum of FEMA and we shall exercise this right within two days."
Sami said, " I am not going anywhere I have lived in Mumbai for 11 years and in all respects I consider myself to be Mumbaikar. This is my home and I am not going anywhere from here. I have not done anything wrong. In fact the fact that the authorities decide to take away my property after six years does baffle me.'' He adds, " In fact the first time the property issue came up when my former wife Sabah brought it up in the court. But after this order her claim to the property becomes null and void.''