'Welcome' actor Mushtaq Khan kidnapped near Meerut, manages to escape

Bijnor: Actor Mushtaq Khan, best known for his roles in films like "Welcome" and "Stree 2" was allegedly kidnapped under the pretext of being invited to an event in Meerut, police said on Wednesday. The actor managed to escape after being held captive for a day.

A complaint regarding the incident was filed by the actor's event manager, Shivam Yadav, at the Bijnor Kotwali police station on Tuesday, Bijnor Superintendent of Police Abhishek Kumar Jha said.

According to the complaint, one Rahul Saini contacted Khan on October 15 inviting him to be the chief guest at an event in Meerut and even paid him in advance. Saini also sent Khan a flight ticket for November 20, from Mumbai to Delhi.

Upon arriving at the Delhi airport, Khan was picked up by a car with a driver and two passengers. However, midway through the journey, he was transferred to a Scorpio vehicle, where two additional men joined, Yadav said in the complaint. When Khan protested, he was threatened and informed that he had been kidnapped.

According to the complaint, the kidnappers held Khan captive in the Chahsheeri locality of Bijnor and during this time Rs 2 lakh were transferred from his mobile.

On November 21, Khan managed to escape and made his way back to Mumbai.

The kidnappers made several purchases in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar and withdrew cash, amounting to approximately Rs 2 lakh, using Khan's phone, police said.

The Bijnor Police have registered a case against unidentified individuals under Section 364A (kidnapping for ransom) of the Bhartiya Nayaya Sanhita and formed multiple teams to locate the kidnappers and trace the Scorpio vehicle involved. The full details of the incident will be revealed soon, police added.

Just last week, actor-comedian Sunil Pal filed a similar complaint alleging that he was abducted en route to Uttarakhand for a show. The case is being probed by Uttar Pradesh police.

During the ordeal, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 20 lakh, Pal said, adding that he was released after managing to pay Rs 8 lakh.

He further claimed that he was abandoned by the side of a road in Meerut, from where he made his way to the Delhi airport and boarded a flight to Mumbai.