Delhi: YouTuber arrested in 31-year-old kidnapping-murder case

During the initial investigation, suspicion fell on Khan, who worked as a martial arts instructor at Bansal’s school

A 54-year-old man, Salim Khan, was arrested by Delhi police’s crime branch on Saturday from Loni in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district in connection with a 31-year-old kidnapping for ransom and murder case dating back to 1995, police said.

The accused gained recognition as a social activist and YouTuber. (Representative Photo)

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said the accused, who is also known as Salim Wastik and Salim Ahmed, had evaded arrest for over two decades after being granted interim bail. He was apprehended following sustained surveillance and verification of his identity.

gfx (HT)

He is a local activist and a YouTuber, police said.

“A team of the ARSC [anti-robbery and snatching cell] of the crime branch, led by inspector Robin Tyagi under close supervision, apprehended a convict who had kidnapped and murdered a 13-year-old boy for a ransom of ₹30,000 in 1995,” Yadav said.

On January 20, 1995, Sandeep Bansal (13), son of a cement businessman in northeast Delhi, went missing. According to the police, the boy had left for school but did not return home.

The next day, his father received a call informing him of his son’s kidnapping and demanding a ransom of ₹30,000 to be placed on a bus bound for Baghpat near Loni flyover, police said.

A case was registered at Gokulpuri police station.

During the initial investigation, suspicion fell on Khan, who worked as a martial arts instructor at Bansal’s school. A witness statement indicated that the child was last seen leaving with him.

Khan’s alleged disclosure led the police to Bansal’s body in a drain near Mustafabad, which was later identified by his father.

During further investigation, Khan’s associate Anil was also identified. He surrendered in February 1995, and the police recovered Bansal’s watch, school bag, and tiffin box from him.

“A chargesheet was filed against both of them, and on August 5, 1997, they were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a sessions court in Karkardooma,” Yadav said.

Both men filed appeals before the Delhi high court. Khan was granted interim bail on November 24, 2000, but failed to surrender thereafter.

“He jumped bail and continued to evade arrest. His conviction was later upheld by high court on July 19, 2011,” an official police statement said.

Khan managed to avoid arrest by frequently changing locations across Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, including Karnal and Ambala, where he worked as an almirah maker, police said. He later settled in Loni around 2010 after assuming a new identity.

“He declared himself dead in official records to mislead law enforcement agencies and adopted the identity of Salim Wastik alias Salim Ahmed,” Yadav said.

On February 27, Khan was allegedly attacked by two men in Loni and sustained multiple stab injuries. He was treated at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and later shifted to Max Super Speciality Hospital before being discharged in March. A separate case was registered in connection with that incident, and he was provided security by the Uttar Pradesh police.

“During a focused operation against parole jumpers involved in heinous crimes, credible inputs were received about his true identity. His details were verified through fingerprints and old records collected from Karkardooma courts,” Yadav said.

Following confirmation, a raiding team comprising multiple Crime Branch officers, with assistance from the Loni police, conducted the operation and apprehended him, police said. He has been arrested and lodged in Tihar Jail.

Police said the accused had been running a garment shop in Loni and had also gained recognition as a social activist and YouTuber.