UP police arrest 4 gang members who kidnapped actor Mushtaq Khan, planned to abduct Shakti Kapoor

Uttar Pradesh police have arrested four gang members for allegedly abducting Bollywood actor Mushtaq Mohammad Khan from the Delhi airport, holding him hostage in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district, and demanding a ransom.

Additionally, authorities claim that they were planning to kidnap renowned actor Shakti Kapoor under the guise of inviting him to an event.

The information was released on Dec 14 by Bijnor Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Jha, who said that Shivam Yadav, the event manager for Mushtaq Khan, had lodged a complaint on Dec 9.

Lavi, also known as Rahul Saini, allegedly provided an advance payment of ₹25,000 and an airline ticket on Oct 15 to invite Khan, known for his roles in Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke and Welcome, to an event in Meerut.

On Nov 20, a taxi driver met Mushtaq at the Delhi airport and drove him to a well-known "shikanji" store halfway between Meerut and Delhi.

"During his captivity, the kidnappers took Mushtaq Khan's bank account details and password. On the night of November 20, the accused consumed alcohol and slept. The following morning, Mushtaq Khan managed to escape and reached a mosque in Mohalla Chahshiri, where locals contacted his family and helped him return home,” said officials.

"On Nov 21, the kidnappers withdrew ₹ 2.2 lakh from Mushtaq Khan's bank account while shopping in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar," the officer said.

The gang members who were arrested include Shashank, Azim, Sabiuddin, and Sarthak Chaudhary. Additionally, police have found ₹ 1.04 lakh in their custody.

Actor Shakti Kapoor was also promised ₹ 5 lakh to attend a similar function, but the agreement fell through because of the high advance request, according to the investigation.

The gang's involvement in the kidnapping of other movie stars is currently being investigated by police.

The remaining members of the gang, including Lavi, are being searched.

In a similar case, Arjun, one of the kidnappers who took comedian Sunil Pal hostage, was shot and hurt on Dec 15 when he encountered police in Meerut.

Arjun tried to flee while being taken to the Lalkurti police station for a medical examination by stealing a sub-inspector's firearm, according to the Meerut police.

While attempting to flee, Arjun opened fire indiscriminately on the police unit. The police retaliated, and Arjun was shot and injured.

An SUV, a Scorpio, used in Sunil Pal's kidnapping last month, along with ₹2.25 lakh in cash and a cell phone used in the crime, were found by police from Arjun, according to Meerut Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vipin Tada.

“Arjun was immediately taken to the hospital in an injured condition. Police are now searching for his associates, as they believe the gang involved in the kidnapping is based in Bijnor. Authorities have also contacted the victim for further statements and are continuing their investigation into the case," the SSP said.