Showing posts with label Sunil Pal wife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sunil Pal wife. Show all posts
Sunil Pal's abduction staged? Audio clip raises publicity stunt doubts
8:23 AM
Krishna Chaudhary & Harveer Dabas (THE TIMES OF INDIA; December 11, 2024)
Meerut/Bijnor: A leaked audio clip has raised questions about comedian Sunil Pal's alleged abduction in Meerut last week. In an FIR filed in Mumbai's Santa Cruz police station last week, Pal said he was kidnapped and released after paying a ransom of Rs 7.5 lakh. While the new audio clip suggests the incident may have been a staged publicity stunt, Pal has denied the allegations.
The minute-long audio, confirmed as genuine though edited and manipulated by Pal to TOI, features a voice identified as one of the abductors, Lavi Pal, telling him, "We did whatever you asked us to do, and now you've filed an FIR against us." Pal is heard responding, "The police approached my wife after the matter surfaced; neither she nor I went to them. Don't worry, everything will be managed." Pal then advises the alleged abductors not to meet him, saying, "Things will worsen if you do."
Pal insisted he was coerced into making the statements and claimed the conversation was manipulated to make him appear complicit. Speaking to TOI, he said, "The perpetrators cleverly forced me to say things that portrayed them as innocent and then edited the audio before circulating it. I was threatened during the call and, under duress, said what they wanted me to. I just wanted to end the conversation as they repeatedly pressured me to meet them. I was unsure how to respond, so I answered according to their prompts. They called me 17 more times after I hung up. They have edited the audio to fit their narrative. If this was staged, why didn't they include the entire conversation?" he questioned.
Meanwhile, Meerut police said the suspects — Lavi Pal and Arjun Karanwal, both from Bijnor — are on the run. CCTV footage reportedly shows them buying gold jewellery with the ransom money. Bijnor (City) SP Sanjeev Vajpayee said, "Meerut and Bijnor police are working together on the case." A police officer privy to the case said six individuals have been detained for questioning, a claim Vajpayee did not confirm or deny.
Pal recounted that he was lured to Meerut last Monday under the pretext of performing at a comedy show and then abducted by five men. "They said they were unemployed and demanded Rs 20 lakh, but eventually settled for Rs 7.5 lakh. They promised to return the money once they found jobs. I was held hostage for 24 hours and released the next day. The kidnappers also gave me Rs 20,000 to travel back to Mumbai."
It was the worst 24 hours of my life; paid Rs. 8 lakh for my freedom-Sunil Pal
3:42 PM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (December 6, 2024)
Mumbai: Santacruz police recorded a statement from comedian Sunil Pal, who claimed that he was abducted in Uttarakhand and later released after a ransom was paid. No FIR has been registered so far. On Tuesday, Pal’s wife approached the Santacruz police station to lodge a missing person’s complaint but eventually did not register the complaint.
Pal had gone to Uttarakhand to perform shows. Late on Tuesday, police were able to contact Pal, and he confirmed that he was on his way back to Mumbai. In a video byte to media persons on Wednesday, Pal said he was abducted from Uttarakhand and a ransom was demanded from him. He called his friends and arranged for the payment to be made. Police are verifying the facts.
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Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 6, 2024)
Comedian-actor Sunil Pal, known for his stint on The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, claims that he endured a harrowing ordeal that has left him scarred. On his way to Haridwar, Uttarakhand, for a private event, Pal says he was abducted, with kidnappers demanding a ransom of Rs. 20 lakh. After tense negotiations, Pal alleges that he secured his release by paying around Rs. 8 lakh.
Back home in Mumbai, Pal is still grappling with the traumatic experience and considering whether to pursue legal action against his abductors. Recalling the terrifying ordeal, Pal tells us, “It was a full-fledged kidnapping, and it started when I got an invite for an event on December 2 in Haridwar.”
Pal explains that he had been invited to perform at a private birthday party at a five-star hotel. “They paid 50% in advance and sent a car for pick up at the airport. I was shifted to another vehicle after one hour. That was the point when my nightmare started. I was told that they had kidnapped me, blindfolded me and taken me to a place. They said they had weapons, stressing that my life was in danger. There were 7-8 people, some drunk, shouting at me,” he recalls.
The kidnappers initially demanded Rs. 20 lakh, according to Pal, but after he explained that he could not meet the amount, they lowered it to Rs. 10 lakh. “I reached out to friends in Mumbai for help and managed to raise around Rs. 7.5-8 lakh for my freedom,” the comedian tells us. He says that he was later abandoned on the Delhi-Meerut road with just Rs. 20,000 to help him return home.
The incident came to light when Pal’s wife, Sarita, contacted the Mumbai police on Tuesday after learning about his situation from one of his friends. Pal admits, “My family panicked and reached out to the police. Otherwise, I was planning not to tell anyone.”
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3 days on, FIR filed in comedian Sunil Pal’s UP abduction case
Nitasha Natu (THE TIMES OF INDIA; December 8, 2024)
Mumbai: Three days after stand-up comedian Sunil Pal's mysterious disappearance and subsequent reappearance, the Santacruz police registered an FIR of extortion and abduction against four to five unknown persons on Friday. The case was transferred to Lal Kurti police station in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, in whose jurisdiction the offence is alleged to have occurred.
On Tuesday, Pal's wife approached the Santacruz police station to report her husband missing. She said Pal left for Haridwar to perform at an event but lost contact with her. She also told the police about Pal's friends received messages asking for money. Later the same night, the police were able to touch base with Pal over the phone. He said he was boarding a flight to Mumbai from Delhi. He reached the city on Wednesday and as a result, no police complaint was lodged. Pal recorded his statement with the Santacruz police thereafter.
Pal told the police that a car was to pick him up and take him to the event at Haridwar, but the vehicle left him at a dhaba where he was bundled into another vehicle. He was then blindfolded and driven to a location where he was allegedly confined.
Pal claimed the abductors were demanding a ransom of Rs 20 lakh for his release. He was threatened with dire consequences if he failed to pay up. When Pal told them that he was not carrying that kind of money, the abductors told him to make arrangements through his friends. Pal claimed he paid Rs 7.5 lakh to the abductors, after which he was dropped back in a car to Meerut. He then reached Delhi and returned to Mumbai by flight.
After returning to Mumbai, Pal told TV news channels, "I did not want anyone — not even my family — to find out about my abduction. It was only after my wife visited the Santacruz police station that everyone learnt of it."
Lost and found: Sunil Pal heads home
10:43 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (December 5, 2024)
Comedian-actor Sunil Pal sparked alarm on Tuesday when he went missing for several hours, leaving his family in distress and his fans deeply concerned. As per reports, his wife, Sarita Pal, revealed that his phone was unreachable for hours, prompting her to approach the Santacruz police station in Mumbai for assistance.
Fortunately, the situation resolved later that evening when Sunil contacted his family, informing them he was safe and on his way home. By late Tuesday night, he had reunited with his loved ones. However, the mystery surrounding his disappearance continues.
According to a report by ETimes, Sarita claimed the comedian-actor was kidnapped and later rescued, though this remains unverified till the time of us going to press. The police are now set to question Sunil to ascertain the details of the incident
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