Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was detained for the third time at a US airport earlier this week.
The incident which took place in Los Angeles Airport made it the third time in seven years that the Indian actor had been questioned by US immigration officials. It might be a good idea for Khan to consult with an immigration lawyer in Los Angeles to come to an amicable resolution.
Expressing disappointment on social media, he tweeted: “I fully understand & respect security with the way the world is, but to be detained at US immigration every damn time really sucks.”
He added: “The brighter side is while waiting caught some really nice Pokemons.”
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia in the US Department of State, Nisha Desai Biswal, apologised for the “hassle” Khan faced at the airport.
She tweeted: “Sorry for the hassle at the airport, @iamsrk – even American diplomats get pulled for extra screening.”
This was not the first time the 50-year-old actor was detained at an American airport by immigration officials.
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In April 2012, Khan was detained at the White Plains airport near New York for over two hours by immigration officials.
Khan was in the US to visit Yale University and was accompanied by Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani.
He was understood to have been travelling in a private plane.
Following the incident, sources had then told PTI that while Ambani and the rest of their group was cleared immediately, Khan was stopped and was given immigration clearance only after about two hours.
Yale University officials had to contact and speak with officials at the Department of Homeland Security and Department of US Immigration and Customs in Washington when they were informed that Khan was held up at the airport.
After the incident in New York, Khan told Yale students that, “Whenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself I always take a trip to America. The immigration guys kicked the star out of stardom.”
In 2009, Khan was detained at the Newark Airport in New Jersey for nearly two hours.
Following the incident, Khan had sought to downplay the “unfortunate procedure” at Newark airport and had said that he would not demand an apology.
