Pakistani singer Adnan Sami, who has spent more than a decade living in Mumbai and working for Indian film industry, is set to get Indian citizenship, The Hindu reported on Saturday.
“The Shiv Sena may have forced ghazal singer Ghulam Ali to cancel his concert in Mumbai, but the government is set to give Indian citizenship to Sami,” the report said.
It said the decision was taken after Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi gave a favourable opinion to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
A senior official told The Hindu that Sami, who has been staying in India since 2001, will be given Indian citizenship under Section 6 of the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955.
The provision allows citizenship, through a certificate of “naturalisation,” to applicants with distinguished contribution in the field of science, philosophy, art, literature, world peace or human progress.
In May this year, the Indian home ministry granted him the right to stay in India indefinitely on humanitarian grounds after his Pakistani passport expired the same month.
Sami with his powerful Indian contacts has made several representations to Home Minister Rajnath Singh about his citizenship.
The paper said Sami was exempted from deportation proceedings under Section 3 of the Foreigners Act.
In 2009, Sami’s wife filed a case of cheating and cruelty against him in Mumbai.
“The criminal case filed against him was also taken into account, and we came to the conclusion that it was a civil case, which shouldn’t come in the way of our decision,” said the official.
Sami has sung in various Hindi films, the latest being a qawwali for the Salman Khan-starer Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
It was in March that Sami applied for Indian citizenship for a second time after the Centre rejected an earlier plea.
The 43-year-old singer — whose earlier request was rejected some two years back — has made his application to the Foreigners’ Division of the Indian home ministry.
Sami, who was holding a Pakistani passport, arrived in India in 2001 and, between 2001 and 2013, visited the UK and several other countries. He has a business and professional visa.
His earlier application for citizenship was submitted to the special branch of Mumbai Police.