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Adnan Sami fined by Indian government for buying 8 flats when he was Pakistani

Adnan Sami fined by Indian government for buying 8 flats when he was Pakistani

Sami claims he was not aware that Pakistani nationals could not purchase immovable property in India.
17 Sep, 2019

An Indian tribunal has imposed a penalty of 5 million INR on singer Adnan Sami for buying eight flats in Mumbai in 2003 without prior permission from the Reserve Bank of India, when he was a Pakistani national.

According to The Hindu newspaper, the singer had purchased the flats in Mumbai for a total of INR 2.53 crore without prior permission from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Special permission was required as he was a Pakistani national at the time of purchase.

The penalty amount has to be paid within three months of the order which was issued on September 12.

Sami said he was not aware that Pakistani nationals could not purchase immovable property in India.

The Appellate Tribunal for the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) imposed the penalty while it quashed a December 2010 order of the Enforcement Directorate Special Director (Mumbai) for confiscation of the properties.

The tribunal's directive came in response to an appeal filed by the singer against the Special Director's order to confiscate the properties and imposing 2 million INR in penalty.

“The impugned order is set aside as far as exercise of discretion under Section 13(2) of the Act. The finding arrived under Section 13(1) shall remain intact. Mr Sami shall deposit the remaining ₹40 lakh with the respondent [ED] within three months from today. As no case under Section 13(2) (about confiscation of eight flats and five parking space)...the said findings and part of the order is quashed,” the tribunal said in its ruling.

The tribunal issued the ruling after hearing Sami's lawyer as well as the lawyers representing Enforcement Directorate Special Director.

"The flats were purchased by Indian Rupees, out of monies earned in India on which Income Tax has been paid, as well as monies loaned from India banks. The loans have been duly repaid," ruled the tribunal after hearing both sides.

Comments

M. Saeed Sep 17, 2019 02:01pm
Sami said he was not aware that Pakistani nationals could not purchase immovable property in India. But, ignorance of law is not an excuse, anywhere in the world.
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Sara Sep 17, 2019 02:23pm
Rules are rules. When one is foreign citizen dont buy properties in foreign land. Wait to get citizenship to buy property as local citizen, or pay fine for violating law.’
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SK Sep 17, 2019 03:49pm
Ah, the wanna-be 'great', the wanna-be 'Indian' - please pay up now. And remember, for as long as you live in your "motherland" - as Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah said - you will need to constantly prove your loyalty - day-in and day-out. Have a great life there - and please stay there!
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ali Sep 17, 2019 03:49pm
So the chaap loosi on twitter came down to zilch!?
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Bhaijan Sep 17, 2019 03:53pm
@M. Saeed . Right but interesting even the bank approved loans to Adnan to support him to buy. Obviously bank became a coowner in those properties, in other words Adnan bought the properties in partnership with bank, the money used was legal & tax paid subsequently. Adnan still have good prospects if he prefer to appeal, but the exact situation is better known to his lawyer. As a friend best of luck.
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Unknown Sep 17, 2019 04:48pm
Mil gaya wafadari ka Tohhfaaa :D.. C'mon Major Sami
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Naeem Sep 17, 2019 04:48pm
Don't care what happens to him.
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Fastrack Sep 17, 2019 04:55pm
I look at Farooq Abdullah and then I look at Adnan Sami. Just a matter of time.
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Kaleidoscope Sep 17, 2019 04:58pm
Major adnan don’t blow your cover.
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rednam Sep 17, 2019 05:16pm
singers have no boundaries. world enjoys his music. why cage him. good judgment.
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Changez Khan Sep 17, 2019 05:21pm
Adnan Sami was Pakistani and will always be looked as aPakistani by the Indian government and the others. One wrong move and his citizenship will be revoked and he is out of India, this is the reason he bashes Pakistan to please Indians.
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Hardik Popli Sep 17, 2019 05:22pm
@Sara Foreign citizens can. The rule is applicable to Pakistani nationals only.
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Abdul Qadir Jamall Sep 17, 2019 05:34pm
Very strange and funny law. How come the registration was done for a property owned by a Pakistani national at the the time of purchase.
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Abhay Sep 17, 2019 05:38pm
I wonder if he had purchased flats in slums of mumbai. With 2.53 cr no one can buy 8 flats even of the lower economical strata.
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sg Sep 17, 2019 05:41pm
serves him right.
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Najmul Sep 17, 2019 05:43pm
With the amount of money he has earned in India, this fine is pittance. These flats today cost twice as much and probably rented out.
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Jamil Soomro, New York City Sep 17, 2019 05:50pm
Property or no property he looks very sick and old in the picture?
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yaqoot mir Sep 17, 2019 06:02pm
Serves him right for trying to be more Indian than the Indians. He should shout out Jai Hind out loud before he gets beaten up like the others.
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Adi Sep 17, 2019 06:19pm
Good job India, make him realize what he opted for!
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Aleem Sep 17, 2019 06:39pm
Fruits of Indian citizenship. Penalty should have been much higher
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Vijay B. Sep 17, 2019 06:44pm
I small calculation will show that Mr. Adnan Sami came out smelling like a rose on the whole transaction in spite of the INR 5.o million in fines imposed on him. First of all he claims to have bought 8 flats for INR 2.53 crores which comes to about INR 32 lacs a piece. You just cannot buy a flat worth the name for INR 32 lacs anywhere in Mumbai.. Secondly he paid a fine of INR 6 lacs per flat which is peanuts compared to the amount these flats appreciated in the interim. Good deal Mr. Sami.
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Saleem Sep 17, 2019 06:44pm
That should be included in Indian Citizenship Test.
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Kanwaljeet Singh Sep 17, 2019 07:12pm
8 flats in Mumbai?? My goodness
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FC Sep 17, 2019 07:18pm
He is a proud Indian citizen now but will still have to face the consequences. Have to follow the rules Mr. Swami.
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HumanA Sep 17, 2019 07:21pm
Things we have to bear to be accepted!!
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Ahsan Gul Sep 17, 2019 07:36pm
Stupid execute " I didn't know that". Pay the fine.
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Zeeshan Ahmed Sep 17, 2019 07:52pm
This is probably the only time I applaud India for taking action against a 'Pakistani'.
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wasim Sep 17, 2019 07:53pm
Excellent...! waiting to see him being kicked out of India.
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Raja Idrees Sep 17, 2019 07:55pm
@Sara what if u want to buy a house if a foreigner? It is possible all over the world. Maybe this rule only applies for Pakistanis in India?
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munster Sep 17, 2019 08:01pm
8 flats (apartments)for 2.53 crore Indian Rs .dirt cheap ...let’s move to Mumbai
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Mansoor Sep 17, 2019 08:06pm
So wonderful. Boast how wonderful new country is, find out new country smacked additional levies on assets acquired through tax paid incomes. Couldn’t happen to a nicer person
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Bhaarteey Sep 17, 2019 08:08pm
We have welcomed you earlier, now we welcome the verdict. But, impartially speaking, since now you are one of us, retrospective implications do not taste good. I shall advise you to go to court, you will certainly get some relief.
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Suresh Namboothiri Sep 17, 2019 08:27pm
Sami is really lucky. Whatever he purchased in 2003 must be costing minimum 15 times now. his flats would give him minimum 26 to 30 crores. Where is just 50 lakhs fine????
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khany Sep 17, 2019 08:32pm
Looks like Adnan Sami will learn the hard way. InshaAllah I hope he gets all his hard earned money back.
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Nick NY Sep 17, 2019 08:32pm
"Sami claims he was not aware that Pakistani nationals could not purchase immovable property in India." Sure, who would buy this! Kudos on getting first reward of becoming Indian citizen!
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Khan Sep 17, 2019 08:36pm
Thank you Major sb!
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Reborn Sep 17, 2019 08:37pm
He doesn't have that kind of money.
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Rocky Sep 17, 2019 08:59pm
Some countries allow to buy foreign nationals to buy property inland. I bought two houses in US being a Canadian. There is no restriction.
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Anand Sep 17, 2019 09:05pm
Please follow the law. Ignorance is no excuse.
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Bilal Sep 17, 2019 09:08pm
Do more Adnan Sami . Show more sympathies to them otherwise ..
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Sri Sep 17, 2019 09:08pm
@Sara true, ignorance of law is not a defense. But surprised that banks had no such rules...cant give loans to foreign nationals against real estate assets in India. Why wait until loans are paid before taking action?
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A Sep 17, 2019 09:16pm
50L is negligible amount in Mumbai real estate market. He has in Millions in USD from these property.
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Sayyar Khan Sep 17, 2019 09:26pm
Pakistani Govt should also send him a fine for not declaring those properties
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ZEE Sep 17, 2019 09:42pm
Equally surprising should be the fact how Indian banks loaned money to a Pakistani national (at that time) :-D
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Bipul Sep 17, 2019 10:16pm
Good to resolve simple issues in a simple way.
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shazad khan Sep 17, 2019 11:08pm
lot of people are buying property in canada not being a citizen of canada there is no fine for them . why Sami has to pay fine ??
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Dawn Sep 17, 2019 11:18pm
Let him have a taste of his country. Jail.
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A Sep 17, 2019 11:19pm
@M. Saeed Its a mistake, court has said he didn't wilfully try to cheat the law.
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ejaz ahmed Sep 17, 2019 11:23pm
Good, I am happy. You think you are in good hands ?
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dabangg Sep 18, 2019 12:03am
@Sara Foreigners can buy land in USA. So the law is not universal.
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Prapur Sep 18, 2019 12:49am
@Sara Many countries allow purchase of property even if person is not citizen, like SRK in London and many others. Same way in Dubai too. Only thing important is need to follow law of land.
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Skhan Sep 18, 2019 03:12am
My prayers are with Major Sami - he is a true hero and a real son of the soil!
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Zeeshan Khan Sep 18, 2019 03:23am
Yeh to LOL ho gaya!
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Ash20 Sep 18, 2019 04:11am
Fair decision though penalties seems to be very low. In Mumbai each flat would Crores.
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Truth will always Prevail Sep 18, 2019 04:56am
Why the Property registerer offic e checked his nationality when he bought the property. This shows Indian goverment is run by goons where you can buy property anybody checking your background or nationality. What a joke for a country
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SHAH S Sep 18, 2019 05:15am
Confiscate his property obtained or impose fine same as fair market price of the property;
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Akil Akhtar Sep 18, 2019 05:17am
Put this guy in jail...he deserves it.
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kumar Sep 18, 2019 05:33am
8 flats for 2.53 Cr in Mumbai. This is very fishy deal. I think they need to investigate actual price and fine him accordingly. He must have paid lot of black money otherwise the cost would have been above 15Cr.
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kashif Sep 18, 2019 07:44am
Who cares..
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Waseem Sep 18, 2019 09:06am
Ok he should not have bought without permission. But how come these were sold and registered in his name when he was Pakistani? India keeps blaming Pakistan for all its own shortcomings particularly in Kashmir
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Anonymouseee Sep 18, 2019 10:20am
Oops. His greed for money and fame took him to India. It’s time to pay up now, LOL.
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kabeelakhan Sep 18, 2019 01:14pm
He was never a Pakistani by heart!
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F1 Murugan apt Sep 18, 2019 01:24pm
@M. Saeed Very true. But how the Indian govt officials registered the sale / purchase of flats when the buyer is a Pakistani? They should have refused.
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Tweety pie Sep 18, 2019 08:56pm
His Father was a highly decorated air commodore who put his life on the line many times for Pakistan must be turning in his grave.
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Tariq Sep 19, 2019 11:43am
He deserved that.
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Pakistani Sep 19, 2019 04:59pm
We are happy to have exported Adnan Sami to India.
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Jehengir Khan Sep 19, 2019 05:49pm
Indian laws are outdated...amitabh bachchan and other rich indians bought properties in Europe even though they are not a citizen of any European countries.....
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Karam Sep 21, 2019 11:58am
Looks like Mr Sami was wrongly advised. Him being a foreigner he should have been told of dos and donts
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