Ex-Muslim YouTuber Saleem Wastik Arrested in 31-Year-Old Murder Case

Ex-Muslim YouTuber Saleem Wastik, whose real name is Salim Khan and who also used the alias Salim Ahmed, has been apprehended by the Delhi Police Crime Branch in connection with a 31-year-old kidnapping and murder case. This significant development comes months after Wastik himself survived a brutal stabbing attack at his home office in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, which brought his hidden past to light. The sensational arrest on Saturday, April 25, 2026, concludes a decades-long manhunt for Wastik, who had been absconding after jumping interim bail in 2000. The 1995 case involved the abduction and killing of 13-year-old Sandeep Bansal, the son of a Delhi-based businessman. Sandeep was kidnapped on January 20, 1995, while on his way to school in northeast Delhi. A ransom of Rs 30,000 was demanded from his family, but despite the family's compliance, the boy was tragically killed, and his body was later recovered from a drain in the Mustafabad area. During the initial investigation in 1995, suspicion fell upon Salim Khan, who was then working as a martial arts instructor at the victim's school. A witness reportedly saw Sandeep leaving with a man known as "Masterji." Upon interrogation, Khan confessed to the crime and led investigators to the boy's body. He, along with an accomplice named Anil, was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1997. However, in 2000, Salim Khan was granted interim bail by the Delhi High Court but failed to return to custody, effectively becoming a fugitive. For the next 26 years, he successfully evaded law enforcement by adopting multiple false identities, even faking his own death to mislead authorities. He lived under various names across Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, eventually settling in Loni, Ghaziabad, where he reportedly ran a clothing business and built a public profile as a YouTuber and self-styled social activist, known as Saleem Wastik. The chain of events leading to his arrest began in February 2026, when Wastik became the victim of a brutal stabbing attack at his home office in Ashok Vihar Colony, Loni, Ghaziabad. Two unidentified assailants barged into his office and repeatedly stabbed him in the neck and abdomen, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to GTB Hospital in Delhi for treatment. The attack garnered significant media attention, partly due to Wastik's controversial online presence as an 'ex-Muslim' who publicly expressed critical views on Islam. Following the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed strict action, leading to the formation of multiple police teams. In a swift response, one of the attackers, identified as Zeeshan from Amroha, was killed in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh Police on March 1, 2026. The second accused, Gulfam, was also injured in a subsequent police encounter on March 3, 2026, in Ghaziabad, effectively neutralizing both assailants. The intense scrutiny following the stabbing, combined with his public profile, provided fresh leads for the Delhi Police Crime Branch, which had been actively tracing long-term fugitive offenders. Through meticulous investigation involving old records, fingerprints, and photographs, authorities were able to confirm Saleem Wastik's true identity as the absconding convict Salim Khan. He was arrested from Loni, Ghaziabad, shortly after recovering from his injuries from the stabbing. After his arrest, Saleem Wastik has been sent to Tihar Jail to serve his life sentence. This case highlights the persistent efforts of law enforcement to bring fugitives to justice, regardless of the time elapsed or changes in identity.

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