A day after Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said it was embarrassing to be detained by officials at the Newark airport for two hours, the actor is now downplaying the entire episode saying it was a procedure and he would not seek an apology for it.
"I think it is a procedure that needs to be followed. But it is an unfortunate procedure," said Shah Rukh.
The news had all his fans reacting angrily. King Khan, who was heading to an Independence Day event in New York, was questioned for two hours after his name is said to have cropped up after it matched a checklist.
The actor spoke to NDTV after the incident.
"My name popped up on their computer. I was taken to a room for questioning. I was questioned for two hours," he said.
The actor said that he was not even allowed to use his phone.
"This is not the first time this happened to me. I am glad my family was not travelling with me," he added.
However, the United States has denied the allegations that the Bollywood superstar was singled out because of his name or Asian identity.
The allegations "happen to be incorrect," the spokesman of the US Customs and Border Protection Elmer Camacho said.
The spokesman said Khan was inspected because his baggage had not arrived.
"His documents and papers were checked, which were found to be in correct order. After a normal check at the airport, Khan was taken to a different room where he was waiting for his turn since many other people were already there. The entire process ended in one hour," said the spokesman.
The entire process, he said, was handled in a "professional manner" and there was no evidence of Khan being pointed out because of his name or Asian identity.
