Police have arrested four members of a gang accused of kidnapping actor Mushtaq Mohammad Khan from Delhi airport and holding him hostage in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district. The gang had also been planning to abduct veteran actor Shakti Kapoor under the guise of inviting him to a public event, officials revealed.

Bijnor Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Jha provided details of the case, explaining that Mushtaq Khan’s event manager, Shivam Yadav, lodged a complaint on December 9. According to the complaint, Lavi, alias Rahul Saini, had arranged for Mr. Khan to attend an event in Meerut, offering an advance payment of ₹25,000 and an air ticket.

On November 20, Mushtaq Khan arrived at Delhi airport, where a cab driver picked him up. The driver later stopped at a well-known 'shikanji' (lemonade) shop between Delhi and Meerut, where Khan was forcibly transferred to another vehicle. The kidnappers then took him to Lavi’s residence in Bijnor and held him captive.

The gang threatened Mushtaq Khan and coerced him into providing his bank account details. While the accused drank alcohol and slept that night, Khan managed to escape the next morning. He sought refuge in a nearby mosque, where locals helped him contact his family.

By the time Khan had escaped, the gang had already withdrawn ₹2.2 lakh from his bank account and spent the money in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Sarthak Chaudhary, Sabiuddin, Azim, and Shashank. Police recovered ₹1.04 lakh from their possession. Authorities also disclosed that the gang targeted film personalities by offering advance payments and travel arrangements under the pretense of inviting them to events.

Investigators revealed that the gang approached actor Shakti Kapoor with a similar offer, promising ₹5 lakh for an event appearance. However, the deal fell through when Kapoor demanded a higher advance payment.

Meanwhile, authorities are working to apprehend the remaining gang members, including the primary suspect, Lavi. Police are also investigating whether the group is linked to other kidnappings involving film stars.

In a related case, Arjun, another member of the gang implicated in the recent abduction of comedian Sunil Pal, was injured during a police encounter in Meerut on Sunday. While being escorted for a medical examination, Arjun attempted to escape by snatching a sub-inspector's pistol and opening fire at the police.

The police returned fire, injuring Arjun. Meerut Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vipin Tada confirmed that Arjun was in possession of an SUV used in Sunil Pal’s kidnapping, ₹2.25 lakh in cash, and a mobile phone linked to the crime.

Authorities are now focused on tracking down Arjun’s associates and investigating further links to the Bijnor-based gang.