A 32-year-old lawyer from Chhattisgarh, Faizan Khan, was arrested by Mumbai Police on Tuesday in connection with a death threat and an extortion attempt targeting Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The arrest followed allegations that Khan had demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh from the actor and issued a death threat.
The incident came to light after the Bandra police station received a report last week regarding the extortion threat. According to police, the call threatening Shah Rukh Khan was made from a phone number registered under Khan’s name. Upon further investigation, a Mumbai police team was dispatched to Raipur, where Faizan Khan was summoned for questioning.
Initially, Khan had planned to come to Mumbai on November 14 to give his statement. However, citing safety concerns due to multiple threats he had received recently, he requested the Mumbai Police Commissioner to allow him to record his statement virtually. In his letter to the authorities, Khan expressed fears for his personal safety, mentioning that the threats against him had escalated in recent days.
The case has added to the growing security concerns within the film industry, which has already witnessed a series of threats against other celebrities, including actor Salman Khan, allegedly linked to the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
In a twist, Faizan Khan told the police that he had lost his phone on November 2 and had filed a complaint regarding the loss. He claimed that the threat call made from his phone number was part of a larger conspiracy to frame him. Additionally, Khan alleged that he had previously filed a complaint against Shah Rukh Khan at the Bandra police station, accusing the actor of inciting religious enmity, which he suggested had led to the current situation.
Mumbai Police are continuing their investigation into the matter, as they work to unravel the details surrounding the alleged extortion and threat against the actor.