New Delhi, April 25: The Delhi Police have made startling revelations regarding YouTuber Salim Vastik, also known as Salim Khan, who was arrested in connection with a kidnapping and murder case that dates back 31 years. Salim was wanted for the 1995 abduction and murder of a businessman’s 13-year-old son. He, along with his accomplice Anil, demanded a ransom of ₹30,000 for the boy’s safe return, only to later kill him. In a shocking twist, Salim had declared himself dead to evade law enforcement and later gained fame as a YouTuber under a new identity after converting from Islam.
Salim’s journey began in the narrow streets of Nanupura in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh. According to the Delhi Police, he learned Shaolin Kung Fu martial arts in Shamli before moving to Delhi with his family in search of better opportunities. He started working as a martial arts instructor at Ramjas School in Daryaganj. Subsequently, he entered the jacket supply business across various parts of Delhi. During this time, he connected with his co-accused Anil.
In their pursuit of quick money, Salim and Anil chose a life of crime. On January 20, 1995, they kidnapped the 13-year-old son of a businessman in Northeast Delhi. The family received a call demanding a ransom of ₹30,000. The caller instructed them to leave the money at a bus stand near the Loha Flyover, warning them not to inform the police, or else the boy would be killed.
While the family had already filed a police complaint, investigations led to suspicions about Salim Khan, the martial arts instructor at Ramjas School. A neighbor had seen the boy with Salim around the time of the abduction. A police team, accompanied by the complainant and a witness, arrived at Salim’s home, where he was found. During interrogation, he led the police to a drain near Bhagirathi Water Pump in Mustafabad, where the boy’s body was discovered.
Further investigations identified Anil as the co-accused based on Salim’s disclosures. Although Anil initially fled, he surrendered to the court on February 4, 1995. Subsequent searches of his residence uncovered crucial evidence, including the victim’s watch, tiffin box, and school bag. It was revealed that Anil had made the ransom call to the victim’s father and had played a key role in planning the crime, even suggesting that Salim kidnap a wealthy family’s child.
After the investigation concluded, a charge sheet was filed, and both Salim and Anil were convicted on August 5, 1997. The court sentenced them to life imprisonment along with a fine. They appealed to the Delhi High Court, and while the appeal was pending, Salim was granted interim bail on November 24, 2000. He subsequently failed to surrender and went into hiding.
The Delhi Police assigned a crime branch team to monitor fugitives involved in heinous crimes. During this operation, they received a tip-off about YouTuber ‘Ex-Muslim’ Salim Vastik’s involvement in the 31-year-old kidnapping and murder case. It was discovered that Salim had declared himself dead to evade authorities.
Following this information, police initiated action and gathered case details from Karkardooma Court. Through fingerprint analysis and old photographs, they confirmed that Salim had changed his identity to ‘Salim Ahmed.’ A team was formed to apprehend him, and he was arrested with the assistance of Ghaziabad police on Saturday morning.
Authorities reported that after going into hiding, Salim lived in various parts of the country, including Karnal and Ambala in Haryana, where he worked as a carpenter. In 2010, he settled permanently in Loni, Ghaziabad, where he established a new identity as Salim Vastik, opening a shop selling women’s clothing and other goods.
During questioning, Salim revealed that a well-known Bollywood filmmaker had recently contacted him to create a biopic based on his life. He further disclosed that he had received a check for ₹1.5 million as an advance for the contract related to this proposal.
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