Two people have been detained and are being questioned by Meerut police in connection with the alleged kidnapping and extortion of comedian Sunil Pal.
Pal's wife visited the Lal Kurti police station in Meerut with three lawyers to inquire about the matter today.
Last week, Pal claimed that he was abducted while on his way to Uttarakhand for a show. He claimed the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 20 lakh, but he managed to secure his release after paying Rs 8 lakh, which he collected from some friends. The comedian said he was dropped by the side of a road in Meerut, from where he made his way to the Delhi airport and flew to Mumbai.
Mumbai's Santa Cruz police had initially registered a case of kidnapping and extortion based on Pal's complaint but later transferred the investigation to their counterparts in Meerut.
"The kidnapping case of comedian Sunil Pal has been transferred from Mumbai to Meerut. While the case was initially registered in Mumbai, Meerut Police will now also investigate the matter," Superintendent of Police (Meerut City) Ayush Vikram Singh told PTI on Wednesday.
He added that two suspects are currently in custody and are being interrogated, while further investigations are ongoing.
The police are also looking into an audio clip that has surfaced online, in which Pal allegedly discusses the kidnapping plan with an unidentified person, mentioning his wife's awareness of the situation and media discussions about the episode.
Pal's wife, Sarita, claimed the viral audio clip had been edited.
"The audio is incomplete, it was cut and edited. Sunil was intimidated before the audio was recorded. Once the accused are apprehended, the situation will become clear," she told reporters.
Regarding the ransom, she said, "Initially, Rs 20 lakh was demanded, but we gave them Rs 8 lakh. Later, Sunil called some friends to seek help."
She said Pal is currently at home but is unwell, which is why she came to Meerut to meet police officials.
When asked about any connection to the recent kidnapping case of Bollywood actor Mushtaq Khan, Sarita said she had no knowledge of it.
Khan, best known for his roles in "Welcome," "Stree 2," and "Gadar 2," also alleged kidnapping and extortion on the pretext of being invited to an event in Meerut last month. An FIR in that case was filed on Tuesday in Bijnor district and the matter is under investigation by the police.
