Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 20 February 2023
Two Mumbai residents allegedly tried to kidnap Anusheel Chakarbarty, an actor from Andamans, on 7th January 2023, on the Eastern Express Highway between Vikhroli and Ghatkopar.
According to available reports, one of the accused Saif Ahmed Kamrul-Huda Siddique, has been arrested, and the other accused Ahmad Imtiyaz is still absconding.
Ahmad Imtiyaz, a friend of Anusheel Chakarbarty, is allegedly the mastermind of the kidnapping bid.
The kidnapping was attempted when Anusheel was returning home with Imtiyaz in his car. Anusheel resides at Jogeshwari and had visited South Mumbai and Chembur the previous day with Imtiyaz.
At Ghatkopar, Siddique entered the vehicle and pulled a pistol on Chakabarty from the backside.
Imtiyaz then took the weapon and held it on Anusheel; he asked him to call his mother and demand an Rs. 20 Lakh ransom. Anusheel managed to escape, and an Auto Driver helped him to reach his home while both Imtiyaz and Siddique fled.
Anusheel sustained injuries while escaping from the duo, and his neighbours rushed him to Kokilaben Hospital. Oshiwara Police registered an FIR, but the case was later transferred to Ghatkopar Police Station.
During interrogation, Siddique revealed that he was unaware of the plot to kidnap the actor and thought he was participating in a prank. He said he purchased a lighter pistol as Imtiyaz told him they would play a prank, which would be part of a reel.
Anusheel’s parents are lawyers, and his father has claimed that Imtiyaz is sending threatening messages to them on WhatsApp.
A team has been sent to UP to trace and arrest Imtiyaz.