In a chilling turn of events, the UP Police have arrested four members of a gang who kidnapped Bollywood actor Mushtaq Mohammad Khan from Delhi airport last week. The investigation has also revealed that the gang had targeted another famous actor, Shakti Kapoor, who narrowly escaped their attempt.
Khan became the latest victim of a notorious gang that specializes in luring Bollywood celebrities under the guise of event invitations, sending advance payments and air tickets. Last month, Khan arrived at the airport, planning to catch a flight to Meerut for an event.
However, he was forcibly taken from a stopover and held hostage in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh, with the kidnappers demanding a ransom. They managed to withdraw INR 2.2 lakh from his bank accounts before he managed to escape.
In a major breakthrough, police apprehended four members of the gang—Sarthak Chaudhary, Sabiuddin, Azim, and Shashank—on Saturday. Efforts are ongoing to track down the gang leader, Lavi alias Rahul Saini. Bijnor Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Jha revealed that the gang had also planned to target Kapoor, offering him an advance payment of INR 5 lakh to attend an event. However, the deal fell through when the ‘Judwaa’ actor demanded a higher advance payment, allowing him to narrowly escape. This terrifying incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking even for celebrities in the fast-paced world of Bollywood.