Police in India have arrested a lawyer over allegations of extortion and threatening Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan amid growing concerns over the safety of top actors.
Mohammad Faizan Khan was arrested at his residence in Raipur in Chhattisgarh state on Tuesday, police said. He is accused of issuing death threats to Khan, 59, and demanding five million rupees ($59,250).
Police in Mumbai, the actor's home city, received a call last month from a man identifying himself as “Hindustani”, demanding extortion money and warning that he would kill the Bollywood star if payment was not forthcoming.
An investigation found the call was made from the lawyer's phone. The lawyer had reportedly lodged a complaint that his phone had been stolen and misused to issue the threats.
However, Mumbai police filed a complaint against him after he failed to appear for an investigation. He was arrested in Raipur and will be taken to Mumbai.
"A team of Bandra police from Mumbai reached Pandri police station. They have arrested Faizan Khan in the case of threatening actor Shah Rukh Khan. He was given a notice a few days ago. After the investigation, he was found guilty and arrested," Santosh Singh, senior police officer, Raipur told local media.
He said the accused was being taken to Mumbai on transit remand.
"A case of assault is already registered against him," Mr Singh said.
Shah Rukh Khan is one of the biggest film stars in India and has largely remained a non-controversial figure over three decades in the public eye.
But last October he was provided with high security after receiving death threats following the release of Pathaan – which upset right-wing Hindu groups with a song sequence that shows an actress dancing in a saffron-coloured monokini, a colour associated with right-wing Hindus – and Jawan, the biggest hit of his career that focuses on corruption.
The case is the latest in the series of threats issued to Bollywood superstars, including Salman Khan.
Salman Khan, 58, has been living under high security with round-the-clock police cover after death threats from jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi over a decades-old blackbuck hunting case – an endangered deer considered sacred by the Bishnoi community. Salman Khan was convicted in the case and sentenced to five years imprisonment. He is out on bail.
Baba Siddique, a senior politician and close friend of both Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, was assassinated in October, allegedly by the Bishnoi gang, police said. Five people have been arrested in connection to the alleged murder.
