New Delhi: Gufran Khan, a 20-year-old tattoo artist from Noida, has been arrested in connection with issuing threats to Bollywood actor Salman Khan and Maharashtra MLA Zeeshan Siddique. The arrest came after an investigation by the Mumbai Police after a threatening message was received at Siddique’s office in Bandra, Mumbai.
The message, sent to the MLA’s office helpline, warned of a plot to harm both Siddique and Salman Khan. It claimed that the sender had knowledge of the individuals planning the alleged attack. The Mumbai Police, tracking the message origin, located Khan in Noida and subsequently arrested him with the cooperation of local authorities. He was then transported to Mumbai on a transit remand for further questioning.
‘Intention of instilling fear in the high-profile targets’
According to reports, Khan confessed to sending the message with the intention of instilling fear in the high-profile targets and potentially extorting money in exchange for additional “information”. He admitted that he was preparing to send another demand, hoping the celebrities would attempt to contact him and provide money to protect themselves, but he was apprehended before he could proceed further.
This arrest comes amid heightened security concerns for Salman Khan, who has recently received multiple threats. Just weeks ago, another individual from Jamshedpur demanded a ransom of Rs 5 crore from the actor, later retracting the demand with an apology. Another threat issued to Mumbai traffic control warned that Khan would face harm if a sum of Rs 2 crore was not paid.
Salman Khan on Bishnoi gang’s radar
These recent threats follow a shooting incident outside Khan’s Mumbai residence in April, allegedly linked to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s group.
Following the recent murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique near Siddique’s office, anxiety has intensified around public figures in the area. Salman Khan, who made a reluctant return to the television show Bigg Boss after the incident, commented on the difficult circumstances surrounding his appearance, indicating the toll that recent events have taken on him.
